Georgia’s Parliament Speaker remembers ex-President
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The Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament is remembering a former Georgian leader whose name is synonymous with many important regional events.
Speaking from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili said Georgia’s ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze – who died earlier today – was a man who was involved in many events and people throughout the country regarded these events differently.
Usupashvili said despite some not agreeing with Shevardnadze’s actions, he was still a former leader of the country and should be respected.
"But he was Georgia’s President, a leader of the country for many years. Here, in Baku, his name is connected to the projects like Baku-Tbilisi-Jeihan and others. He is being remembered with gratitude,” Usupashvili said.
"Mr Eduard had certain discoveries in his political career. Unfortunately, it was not so in all fields. Now it is not time to assess his political activities, because a man has died and I express my condolences to his family and close people. In the cases like this, the state should ensure the former President is honoured as he deserves to be and I am confident this will happen.”
Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili is paying his respects to the family of one of Georgia’s early presidents who died earlier today.
Georgia’s second President Eduard Shevardnadze died in Tbilisi today. Members of his family confirmed the 86-year-old passed away earlier this afternoon at his Tbilisi house after a long illness.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is expressing his condolences following the death of Georgia’s second President Eduard Shevardnadze.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has voiced his sympathies following the death of Georgia’s second President Eduard Shevardnadze.
A prominent Georgian man described as a "key figure in international relations”, as someone who "helped to end the Cold War” and a politician who reunified Germany died this week.
Ex-President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze was buried in Tbilisi next to his wife in Krtsanisi Residence where he lived since his resignation from presidency after the 2003 Rose Revolution.