February 25 has become a date that is not only a part of history. We still live under the influence of this day, because the integrity of our country has been violated, our independence is incomplete, - Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili writes on the social network.

As Papuashvili notes, independence is not a historical episode, it is a constant responsibility. Those who fail to fulfill this responsibility ultimately lose their state.

According to him, February 25 is a tragic day, a lesson which we still have to learn.

“On February 25, 1921, the 11th Russian Army took Tbilisi and forcibly suppressed the Georgian statehood. The democratic republic turned into a Soviet republic. In the internal conflict of the Social Democratic Party, the Bolsheviks defeated the Mensheviks, and Georgia found itself in the captivity of a new ideology and the Red Empire for 70 years. During these 70 years, industry and production were created in Georgia, the economy developed, education was strengthened, art, culture, and care for heritage reached new heights. Georgian nationalism and national self-awareness, the roots of which were deeply rooted in previous centuries, were revived within the Soviet bosom. We had a number of magnificent constellations of scientists, intellectuals, artists, and cultural figures. But despite all this, we did not have the main thing - independence.

Never, throughout our history, have Georgians abandoned their desire for freedom and independence, regardless of the imperial space. February 25 has become a date that does not belong only to history. We still live under the influence of this day today, because the integrity of our country is violated, our independence is imperfect.

Moreover, the encroachment on our independence with a sword was supplemented by encroachment on the word, the occupation of Georgian territories - the occupation of the brains of Georgians, the Communist International was replaced by the Liberal International, and Ordzhonikidze, who raised the red flag over Tbilisi, was replaced by stateless people waving foreign flags.

History shows us that external aggression is strengthened by internal weakness. Just as 105 years ago, today, the "fifth column" that carries foreign interests remains the most effective tool of any intervention. Methods change, forms change, but the goal remains unchanged - to weaken the state from within. February 25 should definitely be a reminder of this.

We must understand the situation we live in, we must remember the price Georgia paid for its love of freedom, we must know the true value of independence. Independence is not a historical episode, it is a constant responsibility. Those who fail to shoulder this responsibility ultimately lose their state. February 25 is a tragic day in our history, the lesson of which we still have to learn,” Papuashvili wrote.