Abkhazia celebrates 15th anniversary of its independence

Today, Sukhumi hosts celebrations of the 15th anniversary of the Independence Day. After laying wreaths and flowers to the Glory Memorial in the Freedom Square, a military parade was held.

The parade was finalized by the military orchestra of the Ministry of Defence, which was organized in October 1992 after the city of Gagra was liberated from invaders. In the evening, the Theatre Square will host a celebratory concert, and the fountain will be switched on, reconstructed in the honour of the 15th anniversary of independence. Fireworks will be the culmination of the holiday.

"Today is the most important holiday of the whole people of Abkhazia," President Sergey Bagapsh told journalists after the military parade. "This is the holiday when we commemorate all whom we lost in wartime."

Also today, the Administration of the President held a reception of the delegations, which have arrived to take part in celebrations of the 15th anniversary of the Independence Day of the Republic of Abkhazia. At the reception, the congratulation of President of the Russian Federation Dmitri Medvedev was announced. "Russia will henceforth render all possible assistance to Abkhazia in ensuring its safety and promoting its economic development," runs the congratulation of Russian President to President of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh on the Independence Day of Abkhazia.

President Sergey Bagapsh has also received congratulation addresses and presents from members of delegations of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Ulyanovsk, Volgograd and Nizhniy Novgorod Regions, Dagestan, Tatarstan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Stavropol Territory, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, Cossacks from Lower Don River, Kuban and Zaporozhye Cossacks, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Republic of South Ossetia, International Circassian Association and Abkhazian-Adyg Diaspora of Syria.

We remind you that on September 30 this year Abkhazia celebrates the 15th anniversary of the victory in the Georgian-Abkhazian war and independence from Georgia. The war involved over 12,000 residents of Abkhazia, of whom about 3000 persons perished, including over 2000 fighters and commanders of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Abkhazia.