President Kavelashvili highlights “freedom”, “statehood” as main themes of his tenure in inaugural speech

Mikheil Kavelashvili, the newly elected sixth Georgian President nominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday highlighted the Georgians as a “freedom-loving” nation, also pointing out the “respect for our history, culture, traditions, national identity and faith”.

“The word freedom, along with rights, involves responsibility and the protection of those values, the struggle for which has brought us this freedom”, he said,  adding “this is the struggle for the immortal idea called Georgia”.

“In the Georgian language, the word freedom literally means being the master of oneself, not being dependent on anyone or anything except for one’s conscience, honor, humanity, and inner voice. Freedom primarily entails [..] striving for goodness and love, which our society so desperately needs today”, Kavelashvili stressed.

He further noted freedom did not mean “the right to everything”, pointing out “freedom also implies critical thinking, [...] discussion, which, in any case, are the main preconditions for the rapprochement of different positions”.  

“We, the free citizens of Georgia, must first and foremost respect our Constitution, state institutions, the rule of law, and the rules established by the state”, the President said.

He also highlighted a “sense of statehood” as “paramount on the path to building a strong society and nation on which the Georgian nation stands and must unite our society”.

Kavelashvili also emphasised “this understanding of freedom, rules, and the protection of national identity offers the Georgian people a path to the European family”.

In his inaugural speech, the President also overviewed the history of the Georgian people, which involved “facing numerous trials and tribulations”, the “fight for the homeland and honour” managing to “achieve what seemed impossible - the survival and the preservation of its values, that our nation is founded on”.

He underscored the “special role” of Christianity in the “ultimate formation and consolidation” of the Georgian people, claiming the “Orthodoxy and the Georgian identity over time have become indistinguishable and one, unified concept”.

While addressing the challenges facing the country amid the recent regional and global developments, including “threats that could have devastating consequences for our nation”, the President asserted “we have overcome these challenges through the unity of the Georgian people and the state”.

“Thanks to the steadfast and resolute character, the Georgian people and the state have managed to preserve peace and confront injustice and falsehood while continuing economic progress, development, strengthening our country, and moving toward the European family”, he added.

Kavelashvili also highlighted the “centuries-long peaceful coexistence of the Georgian people with different ethnic and religious groups”. 

The newly-elected President also noted the people were “especially feeling the pain of the wound inflicted” that “separated us from the Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers and sisters [ethnic groups living in Russian-occupied breakaway regions]”.

“Together, we shared centuries of coexistence, building the history of Georgia, defending our homeland from external enemies side by side, and creating remarkable stories of friendship and love”, he added. 

In his comments on the “externally imposed artificial polarisation of society, Kavelashvili emphasised “every citizen” was “invaluable regardless of their views or political affiliations”, reiterating his aspiration to be the “President for all” and “focus his future efforts on consolidating and uniting society”.