"Targeted attacks on the Patriarch and our Church are not the first case, however, such statements from the President are really shocking," the capital's Mayor, Kakha Kaladze, told the media.

According to the Mayor of Tbilisi, the statements made by the leaders of the Patriarchate of Georgia and Georgian Dream in response to the President are not an attack, but the statements made by Salome Zurabishvili are shocking.

"Do you perceive the assessment of the President's shocking statement as an attack from the side of the Patriarchate? It's astonishing. The pathos of the President's statement, the attack on the Patriarch, was really surprising.

The Patriarch is a person who enjoys the greatest love and authority in the country. He has done a lot for the Georgian Church over the years. Targeted attacks on him, on the Church, on our faith are not the first case. We have been hearing this for years from various specific political parties, non-governmental organizations. However, such statements from the President are really shocking", Kakha Kaladze said.