Ruling party officials defend Rike Theatre demolition, claim structure ‘unusable’

Senior Georgian officials have defended the planned dismantling of Tbilisi's Rike Theatre, arguing that the structure was functionally unusable, prohibitively expensive to rehabilitate and now the responsibility of its private owner.

Responding to questions about the controversial building Friday, Vice Prime Minister Mamuka Mdinaradze said restoring the structure to a usable condition would cost more than constructing it.

"Everyone who had even limited involvement with the building said it was poorly constructed, designed only for its appearance, and impossible to put into practical use without spending at least twice as much again," Mdinaradze said.

He claimed that no investor had been able to make the structure commercially viable, citing technical problems including an inadequate cooling system.

Mdinaradze added that the building's current owners were prepared to dismantle it and donate its components free of charge to anyone willing to reconstruct it elsewhere.

"As far as I know, the owners are ready to dismantle it and give it away as a gift to anyone interested in rebuilding it at another location," he said, arguing that no one had come forward because of the high costs involved.

Separately, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said the municipality had issued a permit only for the structure's demolition and that any future business activity on the site was solely a matter for the private owner.

Kaladze was responding to comments by Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas, who designed the building and had criticised plans to remove it.

He said no formal letter had been received from the project's architects and noted that the Rike ‘Jugs’ were privately owned, meaning any discussions about relocating or repurposing the structure should be held with the owner rather than the municipality.

"The decision regarding the so-called Rike Jugs has already been made. It was a completely non-functional structure," Kaladze said, adding that spending tens of millions of lari on the project had been unjustified.

The mayor said the demolition permit had been approved by the Tbilisi City Hall Architecture Service in consultation with the Cultural Heritage Protection Council.