Georgian authorities wish to submit the Armenian church in Kumurdo (Gumburdo) village to UNESCO as a historical and cultural treasure, and therefore the installation of an Armenian cross-stone will get in the way of this plan. 

Father Tatev Marukyan, pastor of the Holy Cross Armenian Church in Akhalkalaki town in Georgia, told about the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In his words, the Georgian side claims that the bones—of the deceased local Armenians—were buried on land level, whereas this level will be lowered during construction work, and therefore this may result in having the cross-stone removed. That is, this cross-stone can be installed solely after these bones are buried at a deeper level.

Now, a working group is expected to be set up to discuss these matters and resolve them.

On September 30, clashes occurred between the Armenian residents of Kumurdo and Georgian police in Javakheti, which is a predominantly-Armenian-populated part of Georgia’s southeastern Samtskhe-Javakheti Province.

The Armenians wished to place an Armenian cross-stone in the courtyard of the said Armenian church, since the bones of their forebears are buried there. Georgian police, however, did not let them inside the church saying that they have a respective order.

The situation became tenser, and special forces arrived at the scene. Police fire shots in the air, and they beat the local Armenians with clubs.