Georgian Parliament Speaker highlights country’s “elevated, festive” mood in New Year's Eve message
In his message, Papuashvili extended his gratitude to citizens for their “constant” backing and support in the process. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Sunday highlighted a “truly elevated and festive” mood in his New Year's Eve message by saying the country had achieved “one of the greatest victories” in its modern history by receiving the European Union membership candidate status in December.
In his message, Papuashvili extended his gratitude to citizens for their “constant” backing and support in the process.
“Georgia has achieved one of the greatest victories in its modern history. We, all of us together, have rightfully attained the status of an EU membership candidate country in a dignified manner”, Papuashvili said.
Happy New Year ✨ pic.twitter.com/pghdUb9gAZ
— Shalva Papuashvili ???????? (@shpapuashvili) December 31, 2023
With your constant backing and support, the Georgian authorities were able to overcome the greatest challenges. The Georgian public rejected radicalism and placed its trust in a domestic and foreign policy that is focused on the well-being of citizens and based on national interests. As a result, we usher in the New year of 2024 in a peaceful and European Georgia, with greater confidence and strength”, he continued.
The chief Georgian legislator thanked professionals ranging from servicemembers of the Defence Forces to police officers, firefighters and rescuers to medical personnel and civil servants, noting their “professionalism, dedication and love for the homeland” had “strengthened the country and kept it hopeful for a better future” even in moments of tragic natural disasters of the past year.
Happy New Year to the citizens living in the [Russian] occupied regions, our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers and sisters, the Georgian diaspora and all friends of the Georgian people. I believe that together we will be able to successfully shape the unity of our homeland and build a European future”, Papuashvili said.
The official also wished a Happy New Year to the country's Orthodox Christian Church by calling it “the spiritual leader of our people [that] stands with dignity as a guardian of our values and spirituality”.
In his address, Papuashvili wished citizens “peace, prosperity, progress and victory for our homeland”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday congratulated citizens on New Year’s Eve by saying that 2023 had been a “truly special year of abundant success and progress in the recent history of our country”.
The First Republic Square in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi will host a gala concert on New Year’s Eve, with Georgian artists, choirs, ensembles and dancers participating in “an impressive” two-hour show under the title “From European City to Europe”.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling party, on Saturday said the Georgian Government would fulfil its duty to ensure and guarantee the well-being of its citizens, de-occupation of the country, reconciliation, maintaining peace and developing Georgia, “more successfully” together with Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former Prime Minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, who was elected the honorary Chair of the GD party earlier that day.
The different regions of Georgia are welcoming the New Year in a festive mood with all cities decorated with illuminations and Christmas trees.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Sunday extended her congratulations to citizens for the New Year by expressing her “great hope” that 2024 would be a “more successful” year for the country.
Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia’s Orthodox Christian Church, on Monday congratulated citizens on New Year’s Eve by wishing them peace.
Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze on Sunday congratulated citizens on the New Year from the National Dispatch Centre, a venue coordinating the work of entities on the domestic electricity market.