PM Garibashvili condemns Mtavari Arkhi TV head's 'attack’ on church

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has condemned the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV company head Nika Gvaramia for ‘attacking’ the church in his news programme. 

I want to respond to one of the most anti-state and dirty policy maker Gvaramia’s attack against Father Shio and the church. This is a classic example of how the state and its main foundation – the church is being attacked”, PM Garibashvili told journalists earlier today.

He said the Georgian society is facing ‘a simple choice’ between the ruling Georgian Dream party, which is in ‘people’s service’ and ‘a criminal gang’ comprised of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, opposition United National Movement (UNM) chair Nika Melia and Mtavari Arkhi head Nika Gvaramia, who are ‘oppressors, torturers and the enemies of the church’.  

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Press secretary of the patriarchate Adnria Jaghmaidze has also accussed Gvaramia of ‘a direct war’ against the church. He further said Mtavari Arkhi TV, TV Pirveli and Formula TV as well as theologians have conspiracy against the church. 

In his programme on October 17, Gvaramia critisised the recent preach of the Senaki and Chkhorotskhu Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, who is Patriarch Ilia II's 'locum tenens', calling him ‘the enemy of the country and of his own freedom’.