Levan Khabeishvili, the newly elected chair of the United National Movement opposition, on Thursday said the party was ready to invite and pay for the service of the “best foreign professionals” to “save” the Gelati UNESCO site. 

The opposition politician stressed culture minister Thea Tsulukiani and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili - cited as a shadow ruler of the country by the opposition - were “destroying” the historic site. 

Earlier this month the ministry slammed the domestic Chubinashvili scientific center for a critical report over the ongoing rehabilitation work in the site.