Metropolitan of the Georgian Church expressed doubts about the authenticity of the Russian SVR's statements about Patriarch Bartholomew

Metropolitan Nikolai of Akhalkalaki (Georgian Orthodox Church) has made a critical comment on reports attributed to the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of the Russian Federation. These materials claimed that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was allegedly attempting to interfere in the process of electing the future Patriarch of Georgia.

According to Orthodox Times, the hierarch emphasized his confidence in the unreliability of this information. «I do not believe that Russian intelligence made such a statement. I don’t think they would be so indiscreet as to publish something like this, » the Metropolitan said in an interview with Georgian media.

Metropolitan Nikolay also noted that he has not personally familiarized himself with the text of the document and considers it a probable forgery. In his opinion, even in the case of physical existence of such a publication, it has the character of falsification, as such statements do not correspond to the interests of the Russian security services and are devoid of logical benefit for the agency.

We would like to remind you that earlier we reported that the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service made a statement about the plans of Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew to interfere in the internal affairs of the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC).