“We have two April 9 — the night of April 9, 1989, and the day of April 9, 1991. These dates differ from one another, yet they are inseparably intertwined,” the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili wrote on social media.

According to Papuashvili, the country has since spent 35 years navigating a difficult and challenging path as an independent state.

“When commemorating April 9, we first recall the events of 1989. Those who witnessed that day remember the scale of the tragedy, how the peaceful environment was shattered, and how collective grief and anger erupted. Yet, just two years later, on April 9, 1991, that tragedy was followed by the restoration of Georgia’s independence in the current Parliament building.

For the past 35 years, Georgia has walked the difficult, thorny path of an independent state. Along the way, there have been mistakes, heavy losses, and repeated setbacks. But despite everything, the country has risen each time. It has never accepted defeat, has learned from its challenges, and has experienced both the burden and the value of independence — its cost and its dignity. This is the legacy of the past 35 years.

A warning voiced on that tragic night by Ilia II — that “the danger is real” — continues to resonate. The threats facing the country have not disappeared; they have merely changed form.

At the same time, another message endures: “the will of the Georgian nation has been fulfilled.”

Independence, freedom, and sovereignty are not just words. They define national identity and represent the outcome of a long struggle — a raised flag that no one can force to bow. The day will never come when this resolve is not expressed clearly and firmly: “Long live independent Georgia! May God protect us!” Papuashvili wrote.

This year marks 37 years since the April 9 tragedy.