The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili congratulated Muslim people living in Georgia with Nowruz-Bairam fest from Marneuli. He addressed Marneuli population in two languages - first in the Azerbaijani language and then in Georgian. The President of Georgia stressed his attention on the fact that no one understood Georgian five years before and today's generation understands the state language well. The President thanked Azeri youth for their enthusiasm in learning Georgian.

"Many Azeri youngsters realized that Georgia is their motherland, Georgian is their mother tongue together with their native language and that their success means Georgia's success as well", noted the President.

Mikheil Saakashvili pointed out that Nowruz-Bairam will become a national holiday from today on in Georgia.

"The whole Georgia is celebrating Nowruz-Bairam with you today, because you are our flesh and blood, you constitute significant part of Georgia. We will fight together for the better future and will celebrate together. From today on Nowruz-Bairam is a Georgian National Holiday", Mikheil Saakashvili stated.

The President of Georgia at the same time noted that the problem of running water and natural gas no longer exists in the Marneuli region.

Mikheil Saakashvili informed the population gathered in Marneuli center of one more new state initiative. He stated that Azeri applicants will pass exams in a simplified way in Georgian universities and colleges this year. At the same time he noted that a school named after Zurab Jvania will renew functioning in Kutaisi. This school is waiting for the initiative from Azerbaijani language speaking population. He said that Georgia and he himself needs many Azerbaijani language-speaking people in the state sector.

"We have decided that the applicants of ethnic minorities will pass entrance exams to the universities of Georgia by a simplified program in order not to make you leave Georgia", Mikheil Saakashvili pointed out.

Today the President expressed special gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan Ilkham Aliev and the Azerbaijani people on the whole for supporting Georgia in extremely hard period of our life.

The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili granted Azeri MP Ganira Pashaeva the Honorary Citizenship of Georgia and awarded her with the medal and certificate.

Later Mikhiel Saakashvili visited Patulaev's family. The senior member of this family studied 21 stanzas from Shota Rystaveli's "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" by heart and became the winner of the contest.

"We need such people on every level" the President addressed the teenager.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia