“April 9 is not only a day of sorrow, it is a day of national unity, steadfastness, perseverance, and victory. We are obliged to protect and strengthen the independence we gained at the cost of great sacrifice,” writes one of the leaders of “Lelo – Strong Georgia,” Badri Japaridze, on social media.

According to him, this day reminds us that freedom requires constant protection and its strengthening demands daily effort.

“In the history of our country, today is simultaneously a tragic day and a symbol of victory. It reminds us with what difficulty we achieved our long-awaited freedom.

On April 9, 1989, the lives of our compatriots fighting for freedom were sacrificed to the unwavering desire and ideal called freedom and independence.

After their sacrifice, the national-liberation movement spread across all of Georgia, and this process was crowned on April 9, 1991, with the restoration of our country’s state independence, and thus historical justice triumphed.

April 9 is not only a day of sorrow – it is a day of national unity, steadfastness, perseverance, and victory. This day reminds us that freedom requires constant protection and its strengthening demands daily effort. We have no right to remain inactive until we finally achieve our goal – the complete liberation of our country from the pressure we have been experiencing from our northern neighbor since the day we regained independence, and until we take our rightful place in a safe, peaceful, and prosperous European family.

We are obliged to protect and strengthen the independence we gained at the cost of great sacrifice,” Japaridze writes.

For information: 37 years have passed since the tragedy of April 9, 1989. On the morning of April 9, 1989, units of the Soviet armed forces dispersed a peaceful protest rally in the center of Tbilisi, near the Parliament building, resulting in casualties.

As a result of the crackdown, 21 people were killed. Thousands of citizens gathered in front of the Parliament were poisoned with gas of unknown composition.

On April 9, 1991, the then Supreme Council declared the date as the Day of Restoration of Georgia’s State Independence.