“Regardless of what is happening around us, we must always protect our national interests. I want to reassure, calm, and congratulate our society on today’s occasion; we should be firmer in our faith and trust one another, as well as our government,” Mikheil Kavelashvili told journalists while responding to a question about the United States’ operation related to the detention of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.

He emphasized the importance of unity, noting that at a time of global challenges, caring for national cohesion is especially important.

“It is extremely important, when there are challenges worldwide - global challenges - that our nation remains united and that we care for national unity. Today itself is a reminder that there should be more love within our nation, more love rooted in faith. Why do I say this? Because today is the greatest feast - Christmas. There is no greater event in human history than today.

Despite the fact that our hierarchs, our clergy, and our Patriarch care deeply for our people - and their contribution and value are immense, given how strong Christian faith is in our nation - we must strengthen our faith even more. It has been 1,700 years since our nation embraced Christianity, and we all know what our country has survived and how many times it has been saved since the time of our ancestors. It is precisely this faith that has brought us to this day. It is impossible today to imagine Georgia without Christianity and Orthodoxy. This union of our homeland with Christianity defines us.

I repeat once again that the grace of today should cover all of Georgia; this is of great importance. Of course, in everyday life each of us has different responsibilities and obligations, and our society knows well that Georgia today has a government that places the national interests of its country and the challenges facing its homeland above all else - and this will continue.

First and foremost, no matter what happens around us, we must always protect our national interests, and this will continue. I want to reassure and calm our society once again and congratulate everyone on today’s occasion - let us be firmer in our faith, trust one another, and trust our government, which has repeatedly proven that it is necessary to work and act first and foremost in the interests of our country,” Kavelashvili said.

Earlier, Kavelashvili congratulated citizens of Georgia, both at home and abroad, on Christmas.

“First of all, I want to congratulate every compatriot, every family, all of Georgia on the radiant feast of the Nativity of Christ. I would also like to especially congratulate our compatriots living abroad and all Orthodox Christians on Christmas. I want to express special gratitude to our Orthodox Church and to His Holiness, our Patriarch, and congratulate him, thanking him for the fact that faith and Orthodox Christianity are so strong and firm in our nation.

I wish happiness to every citizen of Georgia and every compatriot. Today truly is the greatest feast of Christianity, and I want everyone to rejoice on this holy day,” Kavelashvili noted.