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What do you think of the decision to declare May 6 Police Day?

Friday, May 7
Yes, today it’s really a terribly acute problem. I can’t say anything about others but as far as my personal opinion goes, I’m inclined to have an extremely negative attitude towards this decision. To my mind it’s inadmissible to celebrate such a glorious holiday as Giorgoba is and such a trivial festival like Police day together.
Natia, dancer, 29

Well, personally, I think that we Georgian Christians must do something against this unreasonable decision. There is obviously absolutely no need to combine these two festivals. We certainly mustn’t allow our authorities to turn Giorgoba into a mere holiday by celebrating it with Police day which to my mind isn’t distinguished at all.
Tamaz, doctor, 35

I’ve heard that a great many of our countryman are against celebrating Giorgoba and police day together but I can’t understand why. To my mind this decision doesn’t demean Gioroba at all. It has always been a glorious festival for the Georgian people and I’m absolutely sure that nothing can ever change its value for us.
Lana, student, 20

Certainly I think nothing positive about this reckless decision. Even more, to my mind, it’s the Government’s disgraceful attempt to demean this great holiday. So I want to appeal to my countrymen to stand together and force our authorities to change their minds about making such foolish decisions.
Kakha, historian, 40

Well, from my viewpoint this step taken by our Government is really difficult to approve. I can’t understand why they didn’t choose another day and why they combined Police day with Giorgoba. For me personally May 6 will always stay as the day of one of our glorious saints and no decision can ever change it.
Khatuna, housewife, 45

“Well I don’t think it’s a bad idea. Let St George bless them all.”
Dodo, teacher, 63

“May 6 is St George’s day - the day when the whole Orthodox Church meets with tears in their eyes at the churches and prays for their souls and asks St George to bring welfare to their country. Announcing this day as police day is a humiliation to the Synod and I fully disapprove this decision.”
Giorgi, lawyer, 21

“Actually I still hoped that the Government would refuse to make such a decision and announce May 6 as the day of police. I was among the opposition supporters in May 6, 2009 and I remember the people, united under the wish to unite their country. Police were extremely rude to us all due to which, our members – peaceful citizens had lost their eyes or got some other kinds of injuries. Thus our Government and particularly the Ministry of Internal Affairs has made this step exactly to demonstrate how strong they are regardless of others’ wishes and that they don’t care about the unity by making May 6 a political tool, which is so upsetting.”
Avto, economist, 54

“Georgia, as an Orthodox Christian country dedicates all the ecclesial dates with great honor. We have some public dates as well which we also meet with pride but I don’t like this combination of two different events. There are so many other professions – why not announce St Trinity Day as the day of medicine or something like that. We are in great danger of losing our national religion and let’s look after one another and save our faith with candles in our hands.”
Maka, doctor, 39