Jvari Monastery Reopens to visitors, Vendors May not be Allowed
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, January 18
The Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta reopened to visitors on Wednesday after it was closed on Monday by its head to let street vendors out of the nearby areas of the historic monument.
The fate of the vendors, who say that the money they earn is the only incomes for many families, has not been decided yet. However, the monastery head Konstantine Jincharauli says that they must not be returned back.
Jincharauli says that unsanitary conditions and disorder created by vendors is unbearable.
“I have been requesting the settling of the problem from the local municipality for two years. However, the issue was ignored,” Jincharauli says.
Georgian Patriarchate also called upon the government to settle the problem of street vending near churches and monasteries as “unsanitary and disorder” near the sites must not take place in the 21st century.
The Patriarchate made the statement in the wake of Kincharauli’s decision to close the site.
The Patriarchate says that they understand that people are in poverty and take various measures to earn money.
“However, when historic and religious sites in the country are being visited by so many tourists and pilgrims, such disorder and unsanitary conditions in the 21st century is inappropriate” the Patriarchate says.
The Ministry of Culture says that that the issue of vendors will be settled constructively.
In his earlier statement, Mtskheta Mayor said that the vendors created problems for no one.
The Jvari Monastery was built in the sixth century and it is on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage.
