I am confident that you will serve our country – Georgia – and dignity of Georgian warrior with dedication and loyalty! – Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze addressed military servicemen and recruits, who took oath at Liberty Square in Tbilisi on the occasion of the Independence Day of Georgia on May 26.

“Your Holiness, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, President, Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Distinguished Members of Parliament and Government of Georgia, Ambassadors and officials of the diplomatic corps, Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me greet and congratulate every citizen of Georgia with the Independence Day – the main national holiday! I congratulate each citizen, our emigrants, everyone who cherish May 26.

I wish to particularly congratulate the Independence Day to our new recruits, who have given an oath of loyalty to their homeland and have thus become soldiers of Georgia. I am confident that you will serve our country – Georgia – and dignity of Georgian warrior with dedication and loyalty!

I congratulate the Independence Day to our servicemen who have ignited great pride in us, particularly those, who participate in the international missions together with their peers from our partner and friendly nations to fight for peace all over the world, protecting the sovereign interests of Georgia! We are proud of you!

Self-esteem of any state is measured by its attitude towards those people, who protect the dignity and freedom of its homeland by putting their lives at stake. This year we started to build a new residential district for our servicemen and their families. The long history of Georgia is full of fights for freedom and belief, our traditions, maintenance of our identity, values that created our common European civilization.

That is why our European choice is our civilization choice as it has been conditioned by the sacrificing fight, which turned into a cornerstone of the First Georgian Republic. Friends, this very Republic was born on this day and its existence was not pardoned either by its external or internal enemies.

Today, we have a democratic, free and European type of state, which is based on values established 100 years ago by the generation of the First Georgian Republic. We are grateful to all, who have brought this country to the present day. It is May 26 today and it is symbolic that Merab Kostava would turn 80 years old. First President of Georgia – Zviad Gamsakhurdia would have turned 80 in 2019 as well. I bow to the memory of their eternal souls.

We have been through a lot of pain for freedom, unity and every fight has given birth to its own heroes! The Georgian nation will never forget its loyal sons and daughters, who sacrificed their lives to their homeland – Zurab Iarajuli, Zhiuli Shartava, Zaza Damenia, Giorgi Antsukhelidze and names of all our heroes will be encrypted in the long history of Georgia.

Today, we are continuing our fight for freedom, independence and a better future. On this joyful day, I wish to address to our Abkhaz and Ossetian citizens and particularly congratulate them with the Independence Day! It is a day that unites us all! Our ancestors were fighting together for our homeland, the pain felt by each of you is the pain of Georgia, while each success of Georgia is your success! We conceptualize our future only together with you. History of Georgia lives within its every individual citizen, as each citizen creates the future of Georgia! Only with development and peace, immense labor and unity, affection towards motherland and our national idea – education, we will combat poverty! We will overcome occupation and will build a unified and strong state!

Today, on May 26, friends of our country are joining us in the celebration and I wish to tell them all, announce to the entire international community that the day will come when the entire world will re-discover the most educated and stronghold, united and powerful Georgia!

Once again, I congratulate you all with the Independence Day of Georgia! This day is ours! Glory to the Heroes! God bless Georgia!” – Prime minister stated.