Today, at the Administration of the Government of Georgia, the Chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Zaza Vashakmadze, met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Hungary to Georgia, Petra Ponevac-Pana.

Zaza Vashakmadze congratulated the Ambassador of Hungary on her appointment and extended his best wishes for success in her future endeavors. The Chairman of the Agency introduced the guest to Georgia’s religious policy, the projects implemented by the State to protect religious diversity, freedom of religion, and promote a tolerant environment. He also touched upon the functions, goals, and objectives of the Agency, as well as the activities of the Interreligious Council as an effective format for communication.

The Chairman drew special attention to the facts of gross violations of human rights in the occupied territories of A/R of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region. According to him, religious rights of people are violated in the occupied territories, they do not have the right to receive religious services, to movement, to receive education. He also noted the facts of encroachment of religious buildings and the erasure of Georgian cultural identity in the occupied regions by the Russian side. The Chairman of the Agency thanked the Republic of Hungary for its constant support for the territorial integrity of Georgia.

The Ambassador expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and noted that the Embassy will actively cooperate with the Agency.

At the end of the meeting, the guest was presented with the Agency's publications - "Occupied Heritage", "Religions in Georgia", "Functioning Cult Buildings in Georgia as of 2023" and "Functioning Cult Buildings in Tbilisi as of 2020". The meeting was attended by the representative of the Hungarian Embassy, ​​Peter Tarcsay.