President’s New Year Address

President Salome Zurabishvili addressed the nation from the new presidential palace on Atoneli street.

Below is the official translation of Zurabishvili’s New Year speech as provided by her office:

“Dear Compatriots,

I am glad and proud to stand in front of this beautiful Orbeliani Palace and congratulate you on the entrance of the New Year 2019!

2018 was a very special year for me, as it was the year of both hardships and great joy.

I am grateful for your trust and support!

All challenges are accompanied by life lessons. In order those who will walk this path tomorrow to be no longer affected by insult, defamation, hate speech, we should think how to protect simultaneously the freedom of speech and human dignity by law, as it happens in many countries.

We should also think about how to protect ourselves from false information and misinformation in order to bring back peace to the society and not to threaten our democracy.

The last year was tragic for the families whose children died from undefined drugs. This is a tragedy for these families, and also for our country! Georgia does not have children to lose.

It is our duty to call on young people to be cautious and self-protective in order to avoid this disastrous mistake.

The future generation should be raised following the examples of success. Great victories of Georgian athletes in 2018 show us a brilliant way of success and healthy life. The champion para-athletes have proved that they are not only perfect members of our community, but also its outstanding parts.

In 2018, two Georgian phenomena were added to the list of the world’s intangible cultural heritage: three types of Georgian alphabet and Georgian wrestling. I believe that the Georgian culture will be further promoted worldwide in 2019!

In 2018, we witnessed the success of many talented young people in the country as well as outside its borders. I am certain that the future generation that hopefully will be raised according to “Deda Ena” will glorify our country.

2018 was also an exceptional year for our compatriots living abroad as it became possible for them to restore Georgian citizenship after its renunciation. This will facilitate and strengthen our relationships.

The New Year is approaching and I wholeheartedly wish everyone a happy New Year of 2019! Let this year be joyful, fruitful, and cheerful!

I congratulate on this occasion to each and every citizen of Tbilisi and people living in the regions and villages of Georgia! I congratulate to our citizens living abroad! I congratulate to travelers!

I congratulate to soldiers and policemen who ensure our peace and order in this nighttime!

I congratulate to our soldiers in the distant Mali and Afghanistan. I will pay them a visit in the nearest future.

I congratulate to our heroes living at the occupation line, in Gali and Akhalgori!

I congratulate to our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers!

Let the year 2019 be the year of reconciliation!

Let this year be the year of peace, spiritual serenity, tolerance, unity and the precondition for our integrity!

I wish a happy New Year to the entire Georgia!”

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)