Georgia celebrates Independence Day

By Natalia Kochiashvili

Thursday, May 27

We hope that the June 14 NATO summit will open the prospect of taking a new step on the path to integration into the Alliance,” said the president in her speech.

Kvinitadze's remains were laid to rest at the cemetery next to those of Kakutsa Cholokashvili - Deputy Defence Minister of the 1918-1921 Georgian republic - after a public funeral ceremony was held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral and a ceremonial flyover by Georgian Defence Forces' aircraft over the Freedom Square.

May 26 is Georgia's Independence Day, commemorating May 26, 1918 – the day when the Act of Independence was adopted and which established the First Democratic Republic of Georgia. The first republic of Georgia, independent of Russia, ceased to exist in February 1921 as a result of Soviet Russian military aggression and occupation. Georgia regained its independence on April 9, 1991.

The celebration of the national holiday started with the raising of the Georgian state flag on Freedom Square, which was brought by the military servicemen of the National Guard Ritual Squadron. The main celebration of the national holiday was held at Freedom Square in Tbilisi. Due to the restrictions caused by the coronavirus epidemic, traditional public walks and exhibitions were not held.

Newly modernized Su-25 fighter jets of the Defense Forces flew over Freedom Square and congratulated the citizens on Independence Day by launching smoke in the colors of the Georgian flag.

The ceremony was attended by government officials and invited guests, among them, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran. Top Georgian figures as well as the president of Poland addressed the army and the people, praising the country’s past, the merit of the Georgian armed forces and the country’s Euro-Atlantic future.

President Salome Zurabishvili, Supreme Commander of the Defense Forces, opened the official part of the ceremony and said that it is symbolic that after 100 years the remains of Georgia's national hero and commander-in-chief of the first Democratic Republic of Georgia, General Giorgi Kvinitadze, have been returned home from France. The funeral ceremony of General Kvinitadze took place in Holy Trinity Cathedral, he was llater buried in Mtatsminda Pantheon.

Zurabishvili said the remains were to be buried "next to those of honourable children of the country," adding the occasion marked a honouring of Kvinitadze's "uncompromising struggle and military valour," and extended the date to mark historical struggles of the Georgian army for independence.

President said that Georgia needs to create its own approach and plan to integrate in the EU, into NATO and to overcome the occupation. In her address, the president said that when the EU interest and involvement in the stability of the region and Georgia is clearly increased, new opportunities arise that require more training, organization, consistency, professionalism and putting the interests of the country above all else.

PM Irakli Gharibashvili, speaking at the solemn event, said that May 26 is an expression of Georgia's national identity, centuries-old culture and striving for freedom. According to him, today is a day of celebration for all citizens of Georgia, which expresses unity and aspiration for a better future of Georgia.

"I am confident that we will be able to make our Abkhaz and Ossetian compatriots a worthy member of a strong family in Georgia," said Gharibashvili, who also stressed the role of Georgia's foreign partners in strengthening the country's independence. Garibashvili spoke of the current government's contribution to the development of Georgia and emphasized that in 2024, Georgia will apply for EU membership, thus taking an important step towards realizing ‘our ancestors' European dream.’

247 recruits took the military oath before God and the nation. In parallel with Tbilisi, the swearing-in ceremony was held in 5 locations in different regions of Georgia: in Svaneti, Adjara, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kakheti and the holy city of Mtskheta.

Boxes of Georgian Defense Forces commands and military schools, as well as a box of US Army and Marine instructors were presented in on Freedom Square. The guests especially welcomed the Georgian soldiers who had just completed their mission in Afghanistan and returned to their homeland.

At 20:00, a concert dedicated to the Independence Day of Georgia was held at the Opera and Ballet Theater which was broadcasted live.

Dozens of foreign states and leaders have congratulated Georgia on its 30th anniversary of independence. The list includes the US and European top leaders, France, China, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the United Arab Emirates and other foreign states.