Georgia’s President awards late PM Zhvania with Saint George’s Victory Order

President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili has awarded late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania with the Order of Saint George's Victory today, on what would have been Zhvania's  51st birthday. 

The award was given to Zhvania's family members for his significant merit for Georgia’s democratic advancement, supporting the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration, development of parliamentarism and civil society. 

" Zura’s merit in development of Georgia’s statehood is really important. I want to specially emphasize his role not only for the state development but for the development of Georgian society, media and civil sector," said President Margvelashvili.

"Aside from the deep pain caused by his death, we feel sincere gratitude to him. I want to thank his family members for the great job Zura did for our country. I want to especially thank his mother,” he said. 

The late PM's wife Nino Kadagidze thanked the President for the constant support he offered her family and admitted Margvelashvili had never used her husband’s name for speculations. 

"The President really knows Zura’s merit and appreciates his activities,” Kadagidze said. 

Zhvania, who was instrumemtal to the Rose Revolution, was found dead in a flat on February 3, 2005. The official cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning from a poorly ventilated gas heater. 

However, question marks still surround the case. Re-investigation of the late PM's death was launched under the new Government of Georgia.