Georgian PM pays tribute to April 9 victims on 33rd anniversary

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili paid tribute to the memory of the victims of the April 9, 1989 tragedy on Saturday, marking the 33rd anniversary of the date.

The head of the Government released a statement in commemoration of the date when Soviet troops attacked peaceful protesters in Tbilisi, killing 21 people and injuring hundreds.

This sacrifice did not end in vain. This day determined the future not only for Georgia, but also for the other Soviet countries. [...] April 9 is a tragic date for us, when we once again pay tribute to the bright memory of patriots. We will never forget that present-day Georgia stands on the foundation of their achievement,” Garibashvili wrote.

Earlier today, the Georgian PM visited the April 9 memorial in front of the Parliament building in Tbilisi, placing a wreath in honour of the victims.

April 9 also marks the restoration of Georgia’s independence, as the Georgian legislative body passed the declaration of independence on the date in 1991, based on the results of a referendum on March 31 that year, where an overwhelming majority of Georgians voted for the country to secede from the Soviet Union.

Remembered as the day of national unity, April 9 is a public holiday in Georgia.