A dispute over an unauthorised construction at the historic Lamaria Monastery in Georgia’s Svaneti region has sparked a conflict between clergy and local residents. The dispute concerns the construction of residential quarters on the grounds of the Lamaria Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Ushghuli, Svaneti. Following the report, the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Protection said the works were being carried out without its approval. After OC Media contacted the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Protection on Wednesday, the agency confirmed that the construction remained suspended. The Lamaria Monastery, located above the village of Zhibiani, is a cultural heritage site dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries.