Inauguration feedback mostly positive

By Tatia Megeneishvili

Tuesday, November 19

Inauguration of new president in the courtyard of old parliamentary building

The modest inauguration ceremony for new President Giorgi Margvelashvili was held on November 17.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maia Panjikidze, said that the inauguration was very simple.

Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Davit Sergeenko, also called the ceremony “calm and peaceful.”

The NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, James Appathurai, published a Facebook post stating:

“I just attended the inauguration of the new Georgian President, Margvelashvili. It was a sober, well managed ceremony - just the tone the Government wants to send, as it looks to its regional, European and Euro-Atlantic future. I'm pleased to have represented NATO here on this important day.”

However, member of the Christian Democratic Movement (CDM), Levan Vepkhvadze, said that the inauguration was not good. “There were no former presidents or members of their families, or representatives of other political parties; there were no high representation of international organizations and the most important, there were no people who elected Margvelashvili,” stated Vepkhvadze.

Even though non-parliamentary opposition was not invited to the ceremony, they differently evaluated the inauguration. The leader of Georgian Troupe, Jondi Baghaturia, said that all the accents were right. “I liked how Margvelashvili talked about Georgia's relationship with Russia and that he emphasized his respect towards the Orthodox Church,” stated Baghaturia.

Georgian actor, Kakhi Kavsadze also attended the inauguration. “It was good just because it was different, and I really liked the way it was staged,” stated Kavsadze.

At the end of his first presidential speech, Margvelashvili said that being President of Georgia is a great honor for him. “And today I ask God to grant me the strength needed to carry this responsibility I assume as part of my service to our great country and its people,” the newly elected President stated after taking the oath.