Georgia has chosen the right path: strengthening independence and sovereignty has given it the strength to overcome the most difficult challenges, preserve peace and faith, and set out on a course of continuous development and progress, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said.
Thirty-five years after the restoration of its independence, Georgia has become a truly sovereign and independent state, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said today at a ceremonial event marking Independence Day.
"Today, 35 years after the restoration of independence, every patriotic Georgian is proud that Georgia is more independent and sovereign than ever before," Kobakhidze said.
The strengthening of independence and sovereignty has enabled the country to successfully overcome complex challenges, secure peace and faith for its citizens, and move forward on a path of sustainable development that leads to a united and prosperous Georgia.
The PM noted that this year Georgia marks the 1,700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion, stressing that faith has become an inseparable part of the national culture and the spiritual backbone of society.
It was Christianity that shaped Georgia’s unique culture; throughout the centuries the nation has remained faithful to its national values, and spiritual values rooted in faith, love and tradition cannot be defeated by hatred and evil.
"Empires have vanished around us, yet Georgia has preserved its national identity and independence to this day. Had it not been for God’s protection and the Georgian people’s belief that we are a nation under the patronage of the Mother of God, this historical miracle could not have occurred," Kobakhidze said.
In his address, the Georgian leader underscored the role of spiritual values in the country’s development, noting: patriotism and humanism not grounded in faith in God are false, whereas true spiritual values remain the foundation of national unity and resilience, enabling the nation to overcome any hardship.
Speaking of faith, Irakli Kobakhidze addressed Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III, expressing the wish that his ministry become the bedrock of a new era in the history of the Church.
The Act on the Restoration of State Independence of Georgia was adopted in 1991. The document was approved by the Supreme Council of the Republic on 9 April, based on the direct results of a nationwide referendum held earlier.
