Shalva Papuashvili: The life of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who was sacrificed for the idea of Georgian statehood, makes this date sublime as well as tragic, as the road to freedom is full of pain and joy

The life of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who was sacrificed for the idea of Georgian statehood, makes this date sublime as well as tragic, as the road to freedom is full of pain and joy, Shalva Papuashvili, the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, writes on the social network.

According to Papuashvili, it is symbolic that on the birthday of the 1^st President, on March 31, 1991, the Georgian people voted for Georgia's independence and legally signed this consent through a referendum.

"Today, the 1^st President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, would have turned 85 years old. The life and work of Zviad Gamsakhurdia is a symbol of the restoration of Georgia's independence, the struggle and self-sacrifice for this great goal. It is also symbolic that on the birthday of the 1^st President, on March 31, 1991, the Georgian people voted for the independence of Georgia and legalized this consent through the referendum. This is how the two most important dates for the Georgian people were recorded in the recent history of Georgia, both of which are related to the restoration of the sovereignty of our country.

Today, we are celebrating the 33rd anniversary of this act, which reminds us of Georgia's centuries-old struggle for freedom and calls us to stand firmly on the guard of this great achievement. The life of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who was sacrificed for the idea of Georgian statehood, makes this date sublime as well as tragic, just as the road to freedom itself is full of pain and joy," Shalva Papuashvili said.