Speaker of the Georgian Parliament commemorates the historic significance of April 9, emphasising that Georgia’s sovereignty is the hard-won result of a relentless struggle.

“We have two 9 Aprils: the night of April 9, 1989, and the day of April 9, 1991.

These dates differ, yet they are inseparably linked. When we recall April 9, we first remember 1989.

Those who lived through it recall the scale of the tragedy, the oppressive environment, and the eruption of shared pain and anger.

However, just two years later, on April 9, 1991, in today’s parliament building, Georgia restored its independence. For 35 years, we have followed the challenging path of an independent state. Along the way, we made mistakes, paid a heavy price, and sometimes fell. But despite everything, we always stood up. We never accepted defeat. We learned from our mistakes, felt the weight and sweetness of independence, and understood its value and dignity. This is our 35-year legacy.

A warning voiced on that tragic night by [Catholicos]-Patriarch [Ilia II] - that “the danger is real” - continues to resonate. The threats facing the country have not disappeared; they have merely changed form.

At the same time, the words that ‘the will of the Georgian people has been fulfilled’ still thunder across our nation.

Independence, freedom, and sovereignty are not mere words. They are our identity, the fruit of our struggle, and our raised flag that no one can bring down.

There will never come a day when we will not say loudly, firmly, and unwaveringly: Long live independent Georgia! May God protect us!” – writes Shalva Papuashvili on his Facebook page.