Tbilisi to honour Lithuanian 'Freedom Defenders'

Georgia will pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Soviet military actions in Lithuania on January 13, 1991 and will hold an event dedicated to the Lithuanian ‘Day of Freedom Defenders’ tomorrow.

The occasion will be held at Rike Park in the centre of Tbilisi and will mark the friendship of the Georgian and Lithuanian states. The event is being organised by the Lithuanian Embassy to Georgia. A special flag measuring 200m has been brought from Lithuania especially to celebrate the day.

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili is expected to participate in the event and deliver a speech.

The occasion will also be attended by the Lithuanian Ambassador to Georgia Jonas Paslauskas, Georgian Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili, Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili, Ambassadors of the United States, Great Britain and other officials, who will address the gathered people.

According to the Lithuanian Embassy, January 13 was comparable to the incident in Georgia on April 9, 1989 when at least twenty people were tragically killed as Soviet troops attacked peaceful protesters in Tbilisi.

In Lithuania, 13 civilians were killed and more than 100 injured after Soviet troops dispersed a demonstration which demanded independence of Lithuania.

"January 13 is the analogy for Lithuanian people to the developments of April 9 in Georgia. This was a demonstration, protest against Soviet Union and their army. We want to give opportunity to Lithuanians living in Georgia, our friends and everyone who had contact with Lithuania to express support and friendship on this event,” a Lithuanian Embassy representative said.