The President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili laid a wreath at the cadets’ memorial in Kojori.
The President also issued a statement on the 100th anniversary of the Soviet occupation, stating that Georgia did not tolerate the occupation.
«100 years have passed since the occupation of the country, from the day when the 11th Russian army landed on Rustaveli Avenue in silent Tbilisi and began a dark period of 70 years of slavery.
This day has been declared a day of mourning by the state, which means that 100 years later, in our memory lives again every hero who fought for freedom and defended the independence of the homeland under a tricolor flag.
Georgia has not failed. He did not tolerate the occupation. Perseverance is the genetic mark of our nation’s immortality and resilience.
From the very beginning, in the post-occupation years — 1922, 23, 24 — the Georgian people in all parts of Georgia continued to fight for freedom and independence until a brutal totalitarian machine suppressed the nation’s voice, albeit temporarily. 1956, 1978, 1989 are the dates of the national energy awakening.
Georgia did not tolerate the occupation and shifted its identity and identity to the protection and development of culture. The free spirit of these years is in the paintings of Elene Akhvlediani, Davit Kakabadze, Shalva Kikodze or Ketevan Magalashvili, in the music of Evgeni Mikeladze, in the works of Petre Otskheli, in the poetry of Galaktioni or Paolo, they are the successors of the spirit of independence and transmitters of the national spirit.
Georgia did not tolerate the occupation.
The Democratic Republic of Georgia has never ceased to exist legally, it has not recognized Soviet power. He continued to fight abroad: he raised the tricolor flag in emigration, continued the fight for sovereignty and independence at the legal level — at US congressional hearings, in international organizations and with European governments, so that the idea of Georgia’s independence did not fade or fade away. As the Church of St. Nino in Paris has been and continues to be the tradition of the Georgian Church since its inception.
Georgia did not tolerate failure! On the contrary, he turned defeat into his own victory: the national movement was restored, and on April 9, 1991, independent Georgia was restored as the legal successor of the First Republic.
Reviving a nation and establishing it as an independent, sovereign, free state is a victory over occupation! It is a victory not only over the enemy but also over time and history, tragedy and injustice! The victory that we believed was inevitable outside the country — in emigration — and that we believed in inside the country, in internal emigration, which was the fault of a large part of the Georgian population.
The occupied territories are our tragedy today, but the country is independent, sovereign, and firmly on the path of development! This is our victory! The victory is also that despite the conflicts and war, we continue on our way to Europe, the way to building democracy!
There comes a time when memory must become history or eternity. This is how the history of our country was written and will be written in the future. Mourning also has its time. Perhaps the time has come to end mourning as our country has remained victorious after these 70 years of occupation. We believe that we will achieve our goal — the unification and unification of the country.
February 25 should become a day to remember how truth and dignity prevail, how a small nation can emerge victorious from wrestling with a great empire, how a country can shape its future based on its traditions and identity and achieve results that were unimaginable even 30 years ago — Europe Associated Membership and NATO Partnership.
I would like to share one of my thoughts on this day and present it to you. By establishing a memorial complex, let us honor those who fought for the independence and freedom of our country during these 100 years. To create a memorial that reflects the history of this ongoing struggle, its pages, the merits of its heroes — everyone: 1921 fighters, insurgents, repressed people, World War II veterans, 1956 students, April 9 victims, Abkhazians, and And those who died in the 2008 war — all those who fought for a united, independent, free Georgia.
Such a memorial, divided into so many pages of our history, at the same time, will allow the younger generations to learn and understand our history, and will inform foreign guests about the relentless struggle of Georgia for freedom. Heroes united and killed for the love of the homeland can even serve as an example of reconciliation!
The President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili laid a wreath at the cadets’ memorial in Kojori and paid tribute to the heroes who died in the fight for Georgia’s independence, «the statement said.
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