Avlabari presidential palace in Tbilisi to be used for high-level ceremonies, receptions

The major building of the Avlabari presidential palace in central Tbilisi, built under the United National Movement leadership, will be used for high-level receptions and ceremonies, head of the Presidential Administration Lasha Zhvania told the media earlier today.

The palace will be renamed as the palace for state ceremonies,” Zhvania said.

Zurabishvili is expected to receive guests at the Avlabari presidential palace later today, at the event dedicated to the 28th anniversary of the signing of the act of independence of Georgia on April 9, 1991.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili relocated the presidential residence from the Presidential Palace in Tbilisi's Avlabari district to an alternative location on Atoneli Street.

This issue was even included in Zurabishvili’s election programme.

Zurabishvili stated that Orbeliani Palace is more European in style and appropriate for the presidential palace.

About 25 million GEL was spent on the renovation of the Orbeliani Palace back in 2013 and it was expected that former president Giorgi Margvelashvili would move there after winning the presidential elections.

The palace later became a reason of controversy between Margvelashvili and the Georgian Dream party, which named him as its presidential candidate in 2013, as Margvelashvili decided to stay at the Avlabari presidential palace.

The Presidential Palace in Avlabari was built on the order of former United National Movement president Mikheil Saakashvili. Construction was completed in 2009.