Prime Minister and President congratulate Georgia’s Muslims on Kurban Bayrami

The Prime Minister of Georgia is sending warm wishes to Georgia’s ethnic Muslim population today as they celebrate the Kurban Bayrami holiday – an event also known as Eid al-Adha.

The Georgian leader congratulated the believers at the Tbilisi central mosque earlier today, where he stressed Georgia had always been a place of peace and brotherhood to all religious minorities living in the country. 

Kurban Bayrami, also called the Feast of the Sacrifice, honoured the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his promised son.

In his address to the Muslim population Garibashvili said the aim of the Georgian Government was to create a state based on love and tolerance. 

It has been a historical choice of our predecessors as for centuries Georgian Orthodox Christians and other religious minorities lived in peace and respected one another.

Georgia must remain a place of peace, consensus and respect,” Garibashvili said. 

The Government will never allow the division of state based on religious difference,” the PM stressed. 

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said all religious groups have lived in peace and respect in Georgia. Photo by Prime Minister's webpage. 

Garibashvili added the current Government supported different religious representatives living in the country and stressed since Georgian Dream coalition came into power in 2012, 20 mosques in different parts of Georgia had been rehabilitated. 

Expanding on this issue, Garibashvili spoke about the activities of the State Agency of Religious Issues that was founded under the leadership of former Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili, and said the aim of the Agency was to ease bureaucratic procedures to religious confessions. 

The Agency has already provided status for 74 constructions and handed them to Georgia’s Muslim Council,” Garibashvili said. 

On another note, PM Garibashvili spoke about the global threat posed by the radical Islamic group ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) and underscored there were some people in different religions who lacked love and under the name of God committed atrocious things.

Mulsim leaders in Georgia thanked the PM for his support and offered him gifts to mark their respect. 

Also today the President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili congratulated Georgia’s Muslims on the holiday.

Dear citizens, I heartily congratulate you on this day; a day that is for peace, hope and caring about each other,” the President said.

Margvelashvilli wished them and everyone in Georgia happiness and prosperity.