Civic movement chair questions transparency, quality of Gelati restoration works

Founder of the civic movement Europe Our Home, Tornike Baratashvili, has questioned the transparency and effectiveness of restoration works at Gelati Monastery, saying key issues surrounding the site remain unanswered.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Baratashvili criticised the handling of rehabilitation works at the UNESCO-listed monastery complex and argued that authorities had failed to properly assess the results of restoration completed in 2020.

He said scaffolding had been removed from the site at the time, which authorities described as the completion of rehabilitation works, but questioned why restoration efforts were still ongoing if no damage had occurred.

Baratashvili also criticised what he described as a lack of openness around the process, saying public transparency had not been ensured despite years of concern over the condition of the monastery.

According to him, problems at Gelati reflected wider systemic issues in the country, including lack of competence, institutional weakness and poor governance.

He further claimed that even major historical monuments in the Imereti region, including the monastery complex in Ubisa, were facing similar problems that authorities had failed to address.

Baratashvili said the main demand from activists remained a fully transparent and publicly accountable restoration process at Gelati.