About 1,5 thousand people participated in a rally in Ajaria’s capital Batumi to protest against reconstruction of Azize mosque.

A Georgia-Turkey agreement on reconstruction of the historical Azize mosque demolished in the middle of the last century is to be singed in near future.

The two countries have been negotiating reconstruction of historic mosques in Ajaria in return for reconstruction of byzantine epoch Georgian churches on the territory of Turkey.

Georgian Orthodox Church expressed its position, categorically opposing to reconstruction of mosques. The rally participants agreed with the patriarchate’s position, further addressing a protest letter to Georgian authorities.