Georgia commemorates National Unity Day and Independence Restoration

Georgia is marking National Unity Day today, which coincides with the anniversary of the adoption of the Act on the Restoration of State Independence, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The day honours civic harmony and pays tribute to citizens who sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom.

The holiday commemorates the tragic events of April 9, 1989, when Soviet forces violently dispersed a mass demonstration in Tbilisi, resulting in the deaths of 21 people, most of them women. Citizens traditionally lay flowers at the memorial near the Parliament building, and memorial services are held in churches across the country.

A commission led by Anatoly Sobchak investigated the incident and concluded that the authorities had employed excessive force against demonstrators.

The April 9 tragedy became a turning point in Georgia’s history. Two years later, on April 9, 1991, Zviad Gamsakhurdia declared the restoration of Georgia’s independence following a nationwide referendum.

By Vugar Khalilov