“I am delighted to welcome Mme. President, to welcome Mr. Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, the Chief of the Defense Forces and the Members of Government, the Chairs of the Constitutional and the Supreme Courts, I am delighted to welcome the Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Bishop Shio, the representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Georgian people and our Army. I congratulate you on the Independence Day of Georgia – the cherished jubilation of many generations, the manifestation of the will of the firmly grasped people and the resonance of the Georgian spirit”, - the Speaker, H.E. Shalva Papuashvili stated in his speech at the Independence Day ceremony.

According to the Speaker, this day is the upshot of the bloodshed on the battlefields for centuries and the relentless grappling in farming.

He underlined that the fight for freedom never ends, especially for a small nation like Georgia, doomed to exist at the crossroads of the greatest civilizations.

“This day incarnations the insatiable aspiration of the Georgian people to gain the right to dispose of their own future, to domiciliate its dignified place among other nations and finally enhance the safe milieu for further development. This day is the upshot of the bloodshed on the battlefields for centuries and the relentless grappling in farming, however, the fight for freedom never ends, especially for a small nation like Georgia, doomed to exist at the crossroads of the greatest civilizations. Foes and allies were sparing no effort to confuse the Georgian people, forcing them to respect others’ flags and solemnly vow to others' suns. Thus, we shall always remember that we have one flag, one coat of arms, one anthem and one homeland. Whenever the national identity of our country has been exposed to threats, the ancient gene rooted in every Georgian was activated as the core meticulous in the historical crosswinds and gales for millenniums, enlightened with the wisdom of centuries, leading our people to the safe haven. This was the way in the past, this is the way we resort to today and will be the way for future generations. Georgia, by its centuries-old existence, numerous fights and loyalty to human values, has repeatedly confirmed that it is a country that never conspired against other nations, never willing to shed the blood of other people for its own salvage, and never strived to push own interests prevailing over other countries and never took the liberty to, through oppressing others, prosper and get welfare. On the contrary, Georgia was always the first to raise its voice against injustice and oppression of the friend nations in their fights for freedom. The road that the Georgian people chose to embark on to gain and maintain independence is as benign as the goal itself”, - he stated.

The Speaker addressed the conscripts and noted that they should shield the soldiery of the citizens of Georgia.

“Our soldiers, today, you swore in at the Flag of your homeland and pledged to be the primary guardians of the independence and peace of Georgia, the warriors of the independent Georgia. Today, you joined the Georgian army, which is a direct expression of our national spirit, perseverance and courage. Today, you are the legion of Kuji and Pharnavaz, Mirian and Gorgasali, David, Tamar and Erekle, the dignified heirs of their millennial cavalry traditions. You shield your homeland and the soldiery of Georgian citizens. We all carry one national mission: the protection and enhancement of our motherland, language and religion. This is the sacrosanct mission inherited to us from our ancestors and that can never be replaced. We were always able to tell the foes and allies apart. We always were hospitable for our allies and “evil musaiff” for the foes. This is the principle pillared for us through centuries. Since independence is a prerequisite for preserving the national identity, thus, our country aspires to establish an even place in Europe and the world. This was the morale of our soldiers fighting in international military missions engraving their names with golden letters. The heart of the Georgian people always was at the front lines beating to address the adversities. These were the fights that we always fought listening to our hearts but not led by self-interests, driven by our faith but not acting on the basis of the assignment, being so few in number here, we were a multitude there. Our contribution to international missions has always been outstanding since we have never measured our responsibility to the world according to the scope of our country. This is why, the Georgian people expect that the attitude to us would be determined not according to the boundaries of the country but the immensity of the soul of the Georgian people. The devotion and tenacity of Georgian soldiers need not be appraised in myths and legends since the roots of this incessant history count millenniums – starting from the legions of our noble kings up to the legendary heroism that we witnessed. I bow to all Georgian heroes, the heroic deeds of which are forged in the pillar of the freedom and statehood of Georgia.
Dear friends, this is our day, the day that belongs to every citizen, to every person who sincerely is loyal to our country regardless of the dissents. We have no right to fail in aggregating every beat of your hearts into a great Georgian unity. Thus, I address you, the Georgian citizens, our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers and sisters, the secular people and clergymen, old and young with the appeal to get united for Georgia, for our common future. We need to remember that no other homeland exists.

I congratulate you, every Georgian soldier, every Georgian citizen, our families and true friends of our country on the Independence Day of Georgia – glory to Georgia! God bless our homeland!”, - the Speaker stated.