New Year Congratulations from the President of the Republic of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh

Dear compatriots!

2009 will be a history in several minutes.

One can say with confidence that as a whole it was stable and successful for our country.

The executive and legislative branches of power have been cooperating fruitfully. It is the well-being of the country’s population that was the ultimate goal of the measures taken by the state.

We have been working for the social component of the budget to grow simultaneously with the progress in the economic development.

The approved standard acts are aimed at financial support to large families. The state solved social problems of widows of the Patriotic War of the Abkhaz nation’s victims, incapacitated members of the families of lost defenders of the Motherland, single mothers, war invalids and heroes.

The outgoing year much more recourses than before were allocated for the development of the spheres of education and health care. Repair work in education establishments, hospitals is underway. The communication sphere in Abkhazia’s cities and villages is being restored.

Our efforts were aimed at strengthening of material and technical basis of the law-enforcement system and security agencies of the state.

Despite the world financial crisis, the state of the national economy allows us to solve not only routine problems, but to plan medium-term programs.
An insufficient economic development of some republic’s districts is still a problem. We’ll have a lot to do to breathe life into the Eastern region.

Dear fellow citizens!

Our state continues to follow the balanced foreign policy. The outgoing year was dedicated to strengthening and active development of friendly relations with the Russian Federation. A number of documents have been signed and the mechanism of intergovernmental interaction in the vitally important spheres has been developed.

We have been developing contacts with the countries which could recognize independence of the Republic of Abkhazia. This year we have established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Nauru.

Our Army is among the major guarantees of stability and preservation of the state’s security. As well as the outgoing year, the government will take henceforth all possible measures to strengthen its fighting efficiency. The issue of reforming the army taking into consideration the real situation around Abkhazia and existing threats remains urgent in this context.

We have gone through many difficulties on the way to freedom and we are ready to overcome new ones with dignity, whatever difficult they are.
The country’s presidential elections were held this year. Those were not the first presidential elections in Abkhazia. But they were extremely important due to several factors.

First of all, because for the first time Abkhazia voted as a recognized country. It was important for us to show that we have been building a democratic legal state where the supremacy of law is axiomatic.

I must admit that the elections process itself surprised me pleasantly- today I can say with absolute confidence: political culture is being formed in our state. I want to believe that it will become a good tradition.

We are obliged to recognize the majority choice, the choice of the multinational Abkhaz nation. Only this way the country can be kept from internal upheavals.

Dear compatriots!

At this moment when we are waiting at a festive table for the New Year to come, soldiers and officers of the Abkhaz army, the law-enforcement officers, health care and life-support enterprises employees continue to fulfill their hard duty.

They do their best for our festive mood to be saddened by nothing.

Highly appreciating this hard work, I wish them sound health and success!

Let the upcoming year become more successful for all of us!

Both on weekdays and on holidays we remember the heroes who have given up their lives for freedom and independence of Apsny.

Each and every citizen of the country is grateful to our soldiers who could protect the Fatherland. Today they also work for the good of Abkhazia.

Dear compatriots in Russia, the former USSR and foreign countries!

We start the upcoming two thousand ten having real prerequisites for economic and political progress.

Let God give us strength to solve the problems we face! I wish you warmly Happy New Year. I wish every family well-being, health and success in all good causes!

Happy New Year!