Today the President of Georgia visited Kutaisi. Mikheil Saakashvili together with Archbishop Kalistrate saw the rehabilitation works at Bagrati Cathedral. The Italian architect Andrea Bruno that works on the rehabilitation of the cathedral together with Georgian architects was with them as well. As the President stated that it had been his long time project of rehabilitation of this cathedral.

"It is not so well thought demagogy that the present government of Georgia anyhow opposes or doesn't assist the Orthodox Church. I want to respond and remind them that our government has already rehabilitated about 500 churches in Georgia. We follow the conditions of the Concordat. By the way the Minister of Justice, as well as I was the first head of the entity that signed the agreement of the Concordat with the Patriarch. No one had done it before. During this period we continued the same policy - we rehabilitated the churches, we were supporting the church in all the ways, among them from financial point of view. At the same time I want to respond to those who put a question - what is our attitude towards other confessions and ethnic groups? I want to bring an example of David the Builder who stood higher and was more important authority than all the political parties taken together and all those so called politicians that stupidly try to earn some very cheap and shot-term points. David the Builder who surely was an Orthodox Christian, prayed in the Synagogue and the Muslim Mosque, he as well had relations with other confessions, because they also were Georgia's children. It is simply impossible to imagine almighty Georgia without the unity of various groups.

It turned out that Georgian Orthodox Church and the government of Georgia stand firmly, it was proved during the last week as well. The majority of political players couldn't manage to do it and it is very regrettable and hurts my heart. It shouldn't be like this. We all must be responsible for the stability and better future of our country.

Now about Bagrati Cathedral - I think that we will finish the rehabilitation of it by the end of November, by Giorgoba November 23. This is a long time project of the Archbishop and us and it will end with the support of his prayers. He as well does educational works in Kutaisi and accordingly in his Eparchy as well. We aimed the rehabilitation of churches. We already rehabilitated Gelati Academy and now a beautiful dome is being constructed with colorful tiling. You as well know that churches had been rehabilitated around Kutaisi, for example MotsameTa Monastery rehabilitation is over. The Archbishop as well constructed new churches in Kutaisi. Besides this he works hard to support children and disabled persons and we all declare our support to him", the President of Georgia stated.

Andrea Bruno noted during the conversation with the President that he is fascinated with Bagrati Cathedral and Georgian architecture in whole. As he said Bagrati Cathedral is a brilliant architectural pattern and it should return to its old look.