The Department of Muslims of Transcaucasus, Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), as well as Roman Catholic, Baptist, Evangelical Lutheran churches will get a status of international organization’s representation in Georgia. It means that the religious unions will independently establish branches; they will be registered as non-commercial entities, Resonansi paper reported.
As per an initiative of the 21st century union, an inter-religious group was established. It included representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Department of Muslims of Transcaucasus, Armenian Apostolic Church, Jewish community of Georgia, Evangelical Lutheran and Evangelical Baptist churches, etc. Besides, the group united representatives of various state structures.
The group has already convened its first sitting, while its meetings will be held regularly in future.
According to Georgy Andriadze, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Georgian University after St. Andrew the First-Called, majority of churches treats with understanding the fact that none of these unions will get a status resembling that of the state religion.
“As for powers, this matter is almost determined. In any case, the traditional religious unions are provided with equal and broad rights. As for their status towards the Georgian Orthodox Church, it will be different. The status does not depend on powers. The status is a political and ideological matter,” he said.
Representative of Law to People NGO Zakhary Kutsnashvili said for his part that if Georgia provides a status to some religious groups, the Georgian Orthodox Church should demand similar status and powers in Azerbaijan, Armenia and other countries.
