11:15,
YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. May 26 marks the Georgian Independence Day and the country’s Ambassador to Armenia Giorgi Saganelidze hosted a reception on this solemn occasion.
Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, government officials, cultural figures and foreign ambassadors were in attendance.
Ambassador Saganelidze was wearing Georgian traditional clothing during the event.
In his remarks, the Georgian Ambassador said that on May 26, 1918, Georgia declared independence and the first Social-Democratic state emerged on the world map.
“For more than a century the freedom-loving Georgian people were selflessly fighting against the Imperial regime, and in 1918 we succeeded and returned to the thousand-years practice of independent state. Despite the fact that the first Georgian republic existed only two years and nine months, it achieved much. Georgia was the first state in the region to give the right to vote to both men and women, and five women were elected to the supreme legislative body, one of whom was an Armenian,” the Georgian Ambassador said.
Speaking about the present-day Georgia, the ambassador said that over the course of 32 years of independence the country succeeded and is now in a leading position among 19 countries in the region in the corruption perception index. He said that in 2020 Georgia was ranked number 1 among 23 countries of Europe and Central Asia in the Ease of Doing Business report and is 5th globally in the economic freedom index.
“In this phase we have double-digit economic growth and unemployed dropped in half in the past ten years. The Georgian people’s will has been recorded on the Constitutional level on integrating into the European Union and NATO,” the ambassador said.
Speaking about the Armenian-Georgian friendship, he said that the centuries-old tradition of good-neighborliness, friendship and brotherly relations between Georgians and Armenians is an unprecedented example in world history.
“Numerous Armenian public figures have been displaying their special love for Georgia, including Naghash Hovnatan, Sayat Nova, Shamchi Melko, Khachatur Abovyan, Avetik Isahakyan and, of course, Hovhannes Tumanyan. Many Georgian classical writers have done the same. We are happy to note that the cooperation level in political, cultural, energy, tourism and other sectors is on the historical high today. There’s been an unprecedented growth in trade turnover and soon Georgian and Armenian nationals will be able to cross the border without a passport, only with [IDs], which will further strengthen and deepen the eternal brotherhood of Georgia and Armenia,” Ambassador Giorgi Saganelidze said.
Speaker Alen Simonyan, wishing peace and prosperity to Georgia, said that the two countries know the price of independence very well, which is the entirety of struggle, patriotism, great sacrifice and unity.
Armenia and Georgia are tied with Christian and many other cultural links, he added.
“The huge Armenian-Georgian cultural heritage has a special role in our relations, on which the great Sayat Nova, Hovhannes Tumanyan, Petros Adamyan, Sergey Parajanov and others have had their permanent trace. Our peoples have numerously faced the issue of being absorbed by powerful states, but today, we stand as independent and democratic states. We are going through difficult times now as well. In times of new geopolitical transformations and development of new architecture, we are facing the most serious challenges and we must support each other, unite efforts to withstand them. Together we will succeed in creating strong foundations for regional security, peace and development,” Simonyan said, praising the development of intergovernmental and interparliamentary ties. He noted the frequent meetings taking place between the Armenian and Georgian leaders.
Simonyan concluded his speech by reciting a piece by Tumanyan addressed to Armenians and Georgians. “Look at everything from the heights of friendly love, love that rises, love that thrives, love that unites and warms.”
