President Salome Zurabishvili marks traditional Georgian-Ossetian holiday near occupation line
President Zurabishvili with the residents of Gremiskhevi. Photo: President's press office.
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has visited the village of Gremiskhevi to celebrate the traditional Georgian-Ossetian holiday ‘Tijroba’ with local residents.
President Zurabishvili assessed the separation of the Georgian and Ossetian population as an “enormous crime.’’
She expressed her regret to see the village population is no longer allowed to visit a holy site located across the occupation line.
The feast is always celebrated on day following Whit Sunday which unified Georgians and Ossetians for centuries,” Zurabishvili said.
Salome Zurabishvili said no one can break the tradition of Georgians and Ossetians living together in love and peace.
I have come here to show that the [occupation] line does not exist, it is artificial,” she added.
President stated the government should take care of the village. Photo: President's press office.
President Zurabishvili said the village road should be repaired adding the population should never have to leave the area.
The road...means that the state cares for all of us, and for us to [to be able to go to the holy site up there] and for the population not to be separated”, she stated.
The village of Gremiskhevi is located in the vicinity of the Russia-occupied Tskhinvali region.
Per the 2014 general census, there are 409 people in the village.
Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia traveled to the village of Khurvaleti in Shida Kartli region, alongside the occupation line with Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). In the village, the minister spoke of the security challenges with the local population.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has sent his warm wishes on Novruz to the local Azerbaijani population in the Marneuli district of eastern Georgia in the Azerbaijani language and stated that the country’s strength is in its diversity.
The Chair of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, has visited the occupation line in Georgia yesterday before starting his official meetings in the capital of Tbilisi.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili and Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze have sent kind wishes to the Muslim community of Georgia on Eid-al-Fitr. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said in her Twitter post,’Georgia remains one of the few places in the world where Shiites and Sunnites pray together.’