State Minister: We honor those who perished in Abkhazia and bow our heads before heroes of Georgia’s unity

On the anniversary of the fall of Sokhumi, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Tea Akhvlediani, together with Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and members of the government, paid tribute to those who died fighting for Georgia’s unity. Members of the government laid a wreath at the Heroes’ Memorial.

According to the State Minister’s Office, Akhvlediani later visited the grave of Georgian National Hero Zhuli Shartava together with Giorgi Jincharadze, Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. They laid a wreath at the memorial and paid tribute to his memory. The minister once again expressed her condolences and support to Shartava’s family members.

“Today, we pay tribute to the memory of those who died in Abkhazia and bow our heads before the heroes who sacrificed their lives for Georgia’s unity. Even 33 years later, September 27 remains an extremely painful day to remember — the day when Sokhumi was emptied of Georgians and thousands of our citizens endured the irreparable pain of mourning those who died and being forced to leave their native land.

“Those tragic days also carry memories of worthy examples of compassion between Abkhaz and Georgians toward one another. I believe these examples will undoubtedly help us overcome our shared pain and pave the way for restoring ties strengthened by mutual respect and achieving reconciliation, for the benefit of our temporarily separated peoples and country,” State Minister Tea Akhvlediani said.