Patriarch Calls on Opposition, Authorities to Talk

Ilia II, the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, has again called on the opposition and authorities to resume dialogue.

In his Sunday sermon, Ilia II said that the opposition’s decision to end its hunger strike on March 25 following his appeal had helped to defuse tension. He, however, stressed that he had also called on the authorities to take steps to help heal public wounds.

“When people think that only they are right, it is very dangerous,” he said. “We should learn to listen to each other and I want to call on the authorities and the opposition once again to listen to each other.”