President of Georgia

04/09/2021 | Press release | Archived content

Speech by President Zourabichvili on the 30th Anniversary of the Restoration of Georgia’s Independence

09.04.2021

Speech by President Zourabichvili on the 30th Anniversary of the Restoration of Georgia's Independence

The Orbeliani Palace hosted an event dedicated to the Ninth of April, the 30th anniversary of the restoration of the independence of Georgia, in which members of the diplomatic corps, of the ruling party and the opposition, and former First Lady Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia, among others, attended. During her speech, President Salome Zourabichvili announced two initiatives, including the declaration of a moratorium on hate speech in political discourse and the creation of a joint memorial to commemorate the lives of those who fought for Georgian independence.

'First of all, let me greet Ms. Manana [Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia]. You are the wife of the first president of an independent of Georgia, the one behind this day. If not for his decision to hold a referendum, we would probably not have received the Act of Restoration of Georgia's Independence, the founding document of modern Georgia. No one has the right to forget such a huge merit.

'I also want to welcome the members of the diplomatic corps present here today. The support of our European and American partners toward our independence in the last 30 years has been very important, and it still is today, as we still need this support in many directions - whether it is political, strategic, economic, or, most importantly, on our Euro-Atlantic integration path.

'I welcome the political parties present here. Thank you very much to those of you who came. It is very unfortunate that there are so many empty chairs today in the Presidential Palace as we celebrate a day of unity, a day to celebrate our independence, a historic day. It is even more unfortunate when we know that some of these parties were on their way even half an hour ago and changed course at the last minute, maybe showing that they are not as independent as we would like all parties to be in this country.

'It's even more unfortunate because I hear shouts from different sides asking why doesn't the President play the role of mediator. I agree with these calls and I tell our foreign partners that there must be a time when the President of this country and Georgia itself will be able to mediate the political processes without being constantly tied to our foreign partners deciding for us and helping us. But it remains very difficult to imagine how the President can play such a role with those empty seats.

'As in previous years, I wanted to invite those who served as members of the Supreme Council here because their place is here today. But due to the pandemic, I did not have the opportunity to invite them all and I want them to consider that their place is here and it is in the history of Georgia.

'Several members of the Student Parliament of Georgia are here and I'm very glad that they are, as a symbol of our next generations what fully share this day. This day should be even more sacred for them because it is a guarantee of our future independent and European nation.

'I want to announce two initiatives.

'I am taking the initiative to create a joint memorial to those who sacrificed their lives in the century-long struggle for the independence and territorial integrity of Georgia in Vake Park, currently under rehabilitation. It will be a place where everyone will be able to pay their respects, where we will be able to teach our young generations the history of our 100-year-old struggle, a place where we will bring foreign guests and where we will bring a little more dignified honor to the heroes. What happened today at the Ninth of April Memorial, the same as what happens unfortunately every year, is completely unacceptable because it is not a honorable form of respect. So we must find a more appropriate place for it.

'A letter was sent today about this initiative to the government, to the City Hall of Tbilisi and to the responsible ministries.

'The second initiative that will be presented today is needed by everyone, and which is a demand not of mine but of society, is that the time has come to declare a moratorium on hate and insulting speech. I want to urge you and other political parties that are not here today to refrain from this. I think this will change the atmosphere and mood in the country.

'We are a country of mood and if that mood changes, we will look at each other and the future more differently. I think all this will strengthen us all.'

President Salome Zourabichvili was presented the original working draft of the 1991 Act of Restoration of the Independence of Georgia, including handwritten corrections made by President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, and the coat of arms present at the office of President Gamsakhurdia, the first head of state of Georgia following the restoration of independence.

President Zourabichvili thanked Mr. John Khetsuriani, who was Minister of Justice in 1991, for handing over the manuscripts of the first President, and Manana Dzidziguri, who fulfilled her husband's will and presented the original coat of arms to the President.

'These dates and symbols unite us and I hope that not only will we be united around such symbols, but we will unite around effective steps and thus overcome all current challenges of our country,' said the President.

President Salome Zourabichvili awarded posthumously Data Vanishvili, a resident of the village of Khurvaleti, with the Medal for Civic Dedication. Mr. Vanishvili was awarded the state award for his exemplary civic devotion, for showing special civic responsibility and for his courage for the homeland. The award was presented to Mr. Vanishvili's family.

'Davit Vanishvili entered our history. He is a symbol of the injustice and the unbearable situation in which our compatriots live on both sides of the occupation line. Today, on the Ninth of April, the day of the restoration of our independence, I want to present this medal to his family as a sign of our great respect and our hope that we will overcome this situation, that Georgia will be united, that such people will live a peaceful life in their villages and will not have to endure this injustice! Today, I want to recall the people who died while crossing the Enguri River. This is also a great injustice that must end, it is the duty of our country that we must meet this challenge together with the necessary unity. Such dates and symbols unite us.'