President Dalia Grybauskaitė attended festive events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Republic of Sakartvelo in Tbilisi at the invitation of President Giorgi Margvelashvili. The Lithuanian leader congratulated the people of Sakartvelo in Kartvelian during the solemn oath taking ceremony held in Tbilisi’s main Freedom Square.
The President underscored that Lithuania gave a special present as it introduced the authentic name of the state – Sakartvelo – into use of the Lithuanian language. This is one more proof that the people of Lithuania and Sakartvelo enjoy exceptional bond of friendship.
She wishes Salkartvelo and its people long years of success and prosperity, peace and unity.
Grybauskaitė also underlined that Lithuania and Sakartvelo share not only similar history and a hard path of surmounted challenges but also a common objective to create free and independent states, strong in their determination to take responsibility for their own future.
Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuanian Viktoras Pranckietis also congratulated Chairman of Georgia’s Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze and the people of Georgia on behalf of the Seimas and his behalf.
“We value your state’s clear and strong commitment in seeking European and Euro-Atlantic integration and express our support to Sakartvelos’ sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Pranckietis said.
On behalf of the Lithuanian government, Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis extended his sincere greetings to Georgia and wished every success to the people of Georgia on the occasion of the centennial of Georgia’s First Democratic Republic.
“I am delighted to see that the dialogue and cooperation between our countries continues to grow ever stronger. 2018 is a special year to Lithuania, too, as it celebrates the centennial of its restored statehood. Your country can count on Lithuania’s unwavering support to Georgia’s territorial integrity and its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Together, we will continue to explore ways and means to develop our bilateral relations further and assist Georgia on its European path,” the prime minister’s letter of congratulation reads.
Georgia’s government declared independence on May 26, 1918. The first democratic republic survived three years and was later incorporated into the Soviet Union.