I would like to wish a Happy Independence Day to all our citizens who strengthen our country through their efforts and selflessness, the Prime Minister of Georgia said in his speech during event celebrating Georgia’s Independence Day.

“On the occasion of our country’s main national holiday, I wish you a Happy Independence Day! It is a day of victory, freedom, and patriotism for every citizen of Georgia. May 26 embodies the country’s national identity, centuries-old culture, and aspiration to freedom. The idea of freedom has always been the ultimate pillar uniting all patriots and bringing about Georgia’s independence.

I would like to wish a Happy Independence Day to all our citizens who strengthen our country through their efforts and selflessness. I wish a Happy Independence Day to our Church with its enormous merit in forging and cementing our identity. The Georgian nation"s faith and hope in the Lord has always sustained us in the fight for freedom.

Georgia’s Independence Day is especially close to our service members’ hearts. It is their selflessness, professionalism, and devotion that have been and will always be the guarantee of our state’s freedom and independence. They have always lived up to the values personified by their army uniforms. This is day is also special to the recruits who just took an oath and became their homeland"s soldiers.

Our country’s independence is a result of the struggle and selflessness of many generations. On this glorious day, I offer my best wishes to our hero veterans, our country"s loyal soldiers. I would like to pay special homage to all heroes who have sacrificed their lives for our homeland"s freedom.

It would like to single out and wish a Happy Independence Day to our citizens living on the other side of the occupation line. I am convinced that we will be able to engage our fellow Abkhaz and Ossetian citizens as esteemed participants of Georgia as a strong member of the Euro-Atlantic family.

Historically, one of the foundations of Georgia’s strength has always been its tolerant culture, its multiethnic and multi-confessional society. This day marks a triumph for every citizen of Georgia, one illustrating the unity of our nation and its aspiration to Georgia’s better future.

I would like to wish a Happy Independence Day to our fellow citizens living abroad, representatives of the diaspora who, with their efforts and talents, empower our country and create success stories we can be proud of. Georgia’s independence and cementing its strength require daily efforts and selflessness…

Our doctors, our hero police officers, our hero service members, teachers, and everyone serving and empowering the country truthfully and professionally-they all set the stage for the country’s better tomorrow. Exceptional is their selflessness in their service to our country. Our foreign friends and partners make a special contribution to cementing Georgia’s independence. I would like to welcome our country’s friends: Mr. Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, and Andriy Taran, Ukraine’s Defense Minister, who have joined us in celebrating Georgia’s Independence Day. I thank them for their firm support and solidarity with our country…

A century ago, the first Democratic Republic of Georgia, in its aspiration to create a European state based on Western values, was brought to a halt by the occupant Red [Army]. And yet this occupation only strengthened the Georgian people’s desire to create an independent and strong state and become part of the Western world. The return of the remains of Giorgi Kvinitadze to Georgia-of a great Georgian general and the main symbol of the fight for Georgia’s freedom against occupation-stands for our aspiration further to immortalize the idea of Georgia’s freedom. Thirty years ago, Georgia started building a modern state by taking in the legacy of the ancestors and its past…

We have been through many trials and tribulations. Our Government has achieved considerable progress toward cementing democratic values and establishing robust state institutions. Our cooperation with NATO and our main strategic partner, the U.S., has grown deeper to reach unprecedented heights; and Georgia will apply for full EU membership in 2024, a tremendous step toward making our ancestors’ European dream come true. We are creating better conditions for our people’s wellbeing. We are taking important steps toward overcoming the coronavirus pandemic and to give fresh impetus to economic recovery. We will continue building a unified and strong country based on the values of national independence-one poised to become a full member of the European and Euro-Atlantic space and to secure prosperity for every citizen. Once again, Happy Independence Day! Thank you very much! May God protect us!”, - concluded Irakli Garibashvili.