Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili conferred a civic merit award on Data Vanishvili, a resident of the Khurvaleti village, the Gori municipality, for selflessness and fulfillment of civic responsibility.
The award was bestowed upon late Vanishvili's family members at the ceremony in the Orbeliani Palace.
After Russia started illegal ''borderization'' activities following the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, Data Vanishvili's house was left on the occupied territory beyond the barbed wires. Mr. Vanishvili refused to abandon his house and lived there for 12 years together with his wife and a grandchild.
Late Data Vanishvili actively communicated with international visitors, refused to recognize the de facto republic, reiterated that he was a citizen of Georgia, and did not intend to cede his own house to Russians. Russians repeatedly detained Data Papa for communicating with visitors along the boundary line.
Data Papa fell ill and was bedridden for a few months. He died on 19 March, aged 88. His spouse Valia Vanishvili said that Data asked her on his deathbed not to desert their house in the Khurvaleti village.
