President of Georgia Mikheil Kavelashvili Awards Members of the Defence Forces with Orders and Medals of Honor

The President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, hosted a New Year's reception for representatives of the Defence Forces at the Presidential Palace.

Acting on a joint nomination submitted by the Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, and the Chairman of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, the President conferred state awards upon six members of the Defence Forces.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili, Minister of Defence Irakli Chikovani, Commander of the Defence Forces Lieutenant General Giorgi Matiashvili, as well as other representatives of the Defence Forces.

In his address, President Mikheil Kavelashvili, in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Georgian Defence Forces, stated that the honor and courage of the military represent a continuation of the Georgian people's heroic history.

"Today, we have gathered for a special and truly significant occasion - to confer state awards upon our patriotic service members.
Dear members of the Defence Forces, your loyalty and dedication in the service of the homeland form a solid foundation of Georgian statehood and a guarantee of the security of our people.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Georgian Defence Forces, and as a son of this country, I bow with profound respect and gratitude before your invaluable service.

You are living embodiments of professionalism, discipline, moral resilience, and unconditional devotion to the homeland. It is thanks to your sense of responsibility and bravery that we live in peace, continue to develop, and look to Georgia's future with confidence.

Your honor and valor represent a continuation of the Georgian people's heroic history - the legacy of those who placed freedom and the homeland above their own lives.

Today, you continue with dignity along this honorable path. Loyalty to the state and service to our people remain our highest values," President Mikheil Kavelashvili stated.

The President emphasized that a state award is not merely a form of recognition, but also an expression of the state's gratitude for the demanding service and the daily, often unseen acts of heroism that constitute an integral part of the lives of members of the Defence Forces.

"These awards, beyond recognition, express the state's gratitude for the demanding service and the daily, often unseen acts of heroism that accompany your lives.

You serve as a model for young people and for society as a whole. You are a united force, standing as one, that safeguards Georgia's freedom, sovereignty, and future.

On behalf of the Georgian people, I congratulate you on these well-deserved honors and wish you strength, resilience, and success in the service of the homeland. May God protect you and our homeland," the President of Georgia stated.

In recognition of their exceptional contribution to the building of the Georgian state and their distinguished service, the Order of Honor, a state award of Georgia, was conferred upon the following individuals: Major General Joni Tatunashvili, Deputy Commander of the Georgian Defence Forces and Chief of the General Staff; Brigadier General Koba Grigolia, Commander of the Western Command of the Georgian Defence Forces within the Ministry of Defence of Georgia; Brigadier General Roland Dzneladze, Commander of the Eastern Command of the Georgian Defence Forces within the Ministry of Defence of Georgia; Brigadier General Mamia Balakhadze, Commandant of the Davit Aghmashenebeli National Defence Academy of Georgia, a Legal Entity of Public Law operating under the Ministry of Defence of Georgia.

In recognition of their exceptional contribution to the building of the Georgian state and their distinguished service, the Medal of Honor, a state award of Georgia, was conferred upon: Colonel Irakli Chitanava, Director of the National Agency for Military Conscription and Recruitment, a Legal Entity of Public Law operating within the system of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia; Chief Sergeant Giorgi Gogochuri of the Georgian Defence Forces.