Dear compatriots!

I heartily wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May the coming year bring you health, happiness, peace and the fulfillment of your dreams.

It is a great honour for me to be designated Ambassador namely in Georgia - a country of great importance for us, where there is a big Armenian community the representatives of which have been living, working and creating on hospitable Georgian land for centuries. I attach particular importance to the diplomatic work with neighbouring countries, at the same time, of course, not calling into question the importance of relations with other countries.

Although six months are not enough for getting acquainted with the daily life, the main problems, and political and social activities of the Armenians living in Georgia, I still have had interesting meetings in the capital and in Djavakheti and got to know the general situation and the primary issues worrying people. I assure you that I shall do my utmost within the limits of my powers to assist you in overcoming the existing difficulties and facilitating your worries.

Dear Friends!

Recently, the most troublesome issue for us has been the situation as a result of the new visa regime in Georgia. Armenians living in Georgia, who became citizens of other countries due to different life situations, now face with a number of problems at the entrance to Georgia.
I assure you that we are working with t ... »»»

Citizens of Armenia may now enter Georgia without a visa for a short-term stay not exceeding 90 days (in any 180 day period) but will have to pay US$50 in consular fees to get a visa for more than 90.

This is according to the new Georgian visa policy as of September 1, 2014.

The list of required documents isn’t too complicated for a short-term visa. To stay more than 90 days, however, one must have 5,000 Georgian Lari in a bank account. This translates to 1.238 million AMD or US$2,706.

The cash requirement is a real problem for many Javakhk Armenians with foreign citizenship

“First off, we village residents have no bank account, let alone 5,000 Lari. Whatever money we earn we send back to our families, wither money to buy wood for fuel, school items, for New Years,” says Harutyun, a resident of the village Diliska in Georgia’s Javakhk region who has a Republic of Armenia passport and recently returned from work abroad.

Harutyun was planning to stay at home until April but under the new law he must now return to Russia earlier.

It should be pointed out that most Armenians of Javakhk applied for Armenian citizenship in order to go to Russia for seasonal work. Now they are regarded as foreigners who must enter and leave Georgia with a visa when their three months are up.

After Georgia signed the European Union Association Agreement, visa regulations got stricter as of September 1 of this y ... »»»

Dear parish of the Armenian Apostolic Church, on November 5-19, 2014 a census of the population of Georgia will be conducted in Georgia. This is an important event for the country. We urge you to highlight your belonging to the parish of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church within the framework of the census and to mention it in the questionnaire.
May God save you and all Georgia!

Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia
Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan

On October 26, 2014 “Nerses the Shnorhali” youth ensemble of “Hayartun” center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia gave a concert in Akhaltskha. The event was devoted to “Tbilisoba” holiday. The ensemble created a holiday atmosphere in the local St. Gregory the Illuminator church, where the concert was intended to take place. Thanks to the efforts of spiritual representatives of the church and the community members, the problem of lightening was solved and the Spiritual Fathers made their blessings. Then spiritual and national songs were performed by Nerses the Shnorhali ensemble under the church arches. The audience warmly applauded to the concert of the ensemble, headed by the Conductor Maria Abulyan and piano player Karen Mirzoyan.

Later “Nerses the Shnorhali” choir of the “Hayartun” center visited the youth center in Akhaltskha. The coordinator of the Youth center Eduard Ayvazyan greeted the guests. He highlighted the importance of introducing the Armenian localities to the youth. The director of the cultural department and the leader of the “Hayartun” Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia Levon Chidilyan called on to encourage the cooperation between the centers, which would contribute to the establishment of friendship and mutual collaboration among the youth.

The latter presented textbooks on the History of Armenian Apostolic Church and a few training CDs to the youth center in Akhaltskha. The youth of both centers made a nice performance. ... »»»

Adigeni is a region between Javakhk and Ajaria. It is populated by christian Georgians and muslim Ajar Geoprgians. Mokhe is one of the villages in this region. The old mosque’s house, that was not being used as mosque for many years was assimed to be converted to cultural center.

But when the mosque demolition work started, the local muslims complained about this and required that the workers stop the work, as they consider the mosque house transformation as a sin. After this the workers had left the village.

Also the christian residents had complained. They disagree because there is no cultural center in the area.

This caused confrontation between between christians and muslims in Mokhe village. The Polive controls the situation and the meetings of protest were pieceful, without any incidents.

Today’s protest was attended by about 70 people. Muslims claim that they will not allow to build a cultural center at that place, and mosque shouldbe protected, even at blood’s cost. And teh christian’s warnm, that if the muslims don’t stop their protest, they will organize meetings, as well.

Akhaltskha.net
News transalted by Javakhk Media.

On October 14, 2014 the President of the Agency of Religious Affairs of Georgia Zaza Vashakhmadze and members of his staff had a meeting with the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia

Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop St. Vazgen Mirzakhanyan expressed his contentment on their visit. The Primate congratulated the guests on the day of Svetitskhovloba, and wished them Godly and profitable work.

Two main questions were discussed during the meeting. The first question referred to financing of national religious communities functioning in Georgia, and the second question referred to the preservation of churches, confiscated from the Armenian Diocese in Georgia during the Soviet era, and the question of returning them to the Diocese.

The Primate expressed his readiness to cooperate with the Agency for the sake of peaceful and united activities of religious communities in Georgia.

In his turn, the head of the State Agency of Religious Affairs of Georgia Zaza Vashakhmadze informed the Primate that questions raised are always considered by the Agency, and they make every effort to preserve cultural and historical heritage and to provide material support to religious communities in Georgia.

armenianchurch.ge

Restoration works of the 15th century St. Norashen church started on October 2 of the current year under the blessing of the Primate at Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

Back in January 2013 during Georgia Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s visit to Armenia, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians raised the question of returning the churches in the territory of Georgia that were confiscated during the Soviet era, to the Diocese. Prime Minister Ivanishvili’s answer was his initiative to restore the churches in danger before making a decision on their affiliation. The Prime Minister expressed his readiness to finance the restoration works from his “Qartu” foundation.

A working group, which included the Ministry of Culture of Georgia and the Agency of Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia, was formed. The group would be responsible for the arrangement of works and project development.

During the coming year the foundation of the church will be strengthened, then there will be works on restoration of the exterior and entire parameters. According to Bidzina Ivanishvili’s initiative, the restoration works are financed by the foundation of preservation of historical monuments “Qartu”. The restoration project of the temple was worked out by the architectural company “Engineering Idea”, and the construction company “Aba Jgupi” performs the restoration on the basis of this project. Patriarchate of Georgia and the Armenian Diocese in ... »»»

The official visit of the delegation headed by the RA National Assembly Speaker Galust Sahakyan continues. The delegation headed by the RA NA Speaker comprises of the RA NA Deputy Speaker Hermine Naghdalyan, the Chief of the RA NA Staff-General Secretary Hrayr Tovmasyan, the NA deputies Vahram Baghdasaryan, Hrant Grigoryan, Artsvik Minasyan, Vardan Ayvazyan, Tatshat Vardapetyan, Nikol Pashinyan and Tevan Poghosyan.

In the morning of October 7 the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan laid a wreath in the Square of the Heroes Deceased for the territorial integrity of Georgia. Then the delegation set off for the Residence of President of Georgia.

During the meeting with the President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili numerous issues regarding the inter-state cooperation in the cultural, political and economic spheres were discussed. The RA National Assembly Speaker Galust Sahakyan has expressed his concern over the armament race in the region, which presents danger for all the countries. “The huge amount of money that Azerbaijan and Turkey spend for getting assault weapon, can be directed to the establishment of stability and forming an atmosphere of confidence, involving all the countries of the region,” Galust Sahakyan has noted.

Then the issues relating to the spheres of inter-state cooperation have also been discussed with the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili. In the course of the meeting with the Prime Minister the RA NA Speaker G ... »»»