Kvemo Kartli Honors Fallen Soldiers at Independence Memorial

Georgia: The State Governor of Kvemo Kartli, Giorgi Dokhturishvili, decorated the Memorial of the Restoration of Georgia’s State Independence with flowers on 9 April, 2025 in the Gardabani Municipality’s park. This decoration was made to pay tribute to the memory of those fallen soldiers who died for the Fatherland 36 years ago in 1991.

During the memorial, the Governor was accompanied by the Mayor of Gardabani Municipality, Davit Kargareteli; Member of the Parliament of Georgia, Irakli Shatakishvili; Chairman of the City Council, Mikheil Gedekhauri; other representatives of the local government, clergy and the general public.

Furthermore, the rector of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Cathedral, Father Zurab (Khachidze), also held a funeral service at the memorial on 9 April, 2025 to commemorate the souls of the deceased. 

In addition, a thematic event was held at the Gardabani Municipality Culture and Arts Center with the participation of the folklore ensemble “Betania” and students of the Levan Devdariani Public School.

Restoration of State Independence of Georgia

Georgia left the Soviet Union when it adopted the Act of Reestablishment of Independence on April 9, 1991. This happened exactly two years after the Soviet army brutally crushed a pro-independence demonstration in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, in 1989.

Due to its symbolic value, 9 April has been called to be recognized as Independence Day by factions linked to both the national movement of the 1980s and the Gamsakhurdia government, the latter of which claimed statehood on 9 April 1991. 

In addition, Gamsakhurdia’s government had declared 26 May as the new Independence Day, citing an 9 April 1991 declaration based on a preceding independence 26 May 1918 Act of Independence. 

A prior referendum on 31 March 1991 also posed the question to Georgians about restoring independence under the assumption that there was a declaration made on 26 May 1918. Furthermore, 9 April has been celebrated as the Day of National Unity, Civic Concordance, Remembrance in Georgia since 1993, to honor the fallen soldiers.