Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday congratulated Georgian veterans of World War II on the 78th anniversary of victory over the Nazi Germany and called them “heroes” who had defeated the “greatest evil”.
At a celebration in Tbilisi’s Veterans Culture and Recreation Park, Garibashvili highlighted his country’s contribution to the victory, with the conflict claiming the lives of nearly 400,000 Georgian servicemembers between 1941-1945.
I would like to congratulate our hero veterans on this day, which is the day of a great victory over fascism, the greatest evil”, the PM said and added “I bow before the memory of those killed in the war”.
The Georgian Government on Monday announced it would provide one-time financial assistance to World War II veterans and family members of deceased servicemembers to mark the anniversary.
The Government Administration said the package would include ₾1,000 ($397) for veterans of the conflict, while family members of those killed during the war would receive ₾500 ($198).
Up to 700,000 Georgians served as part of the Soviet armed forces in WWII, according to the numbers released by the State Service of Veterans Affairs of Georgia, with 224,000 receiving various awards for their service and 164 granted the highest honour of receiving the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
As of April 2023, there were 114 WWII veterans and 624 individuals equal to the veteran status across the country, the agency said.