The USAID Georgia responded to the statement of Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, and stated that they have constant, open and transparent communication with the Georgian government on how their programs support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

"The US government, through USAID, as part of the country's support, for the benefit of Georgia, works with many organizations to support tolerance. We have constant, open and transparent communication with the Georgian government regarding how our programs support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations," the organization told Channel 1.

The statement comes after the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, made a statement regarding Beka Mindiashvili's criticism against the Patriarchate and noted that the Tolerance Center headed by Beka Mindiashvili was funded by USAID. According to the Speaker, a person who is distinguished by "religious intolerance and inciting religious hysteria" manages to receive American funding. According to Papuashvili, he expects that the USAID leadership will soon clarify the issue and act in the best interest of the American and Georgian people.

“As for this financing of so-called center. As it turns out it is financed under one of the programs of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - Unity Through Diversity. I am very sorry that again USAID is at the epicenter of a scandal related to projects financed in its name. It turned out that a person who is distinguished by religious intolerance and inciting religious hysteria, manages to get American funding”, said Papuashvili.