Georgia: EU honours those who lost their lives on 9 April 1989

“9 April is a painful reminder of Soviet troop violence against peaceful demonstrators, whose defiance became a symbol of Georgia’s pursuit of freedom, dignity and independence,” the EU Delegation in Georgia said in a Facebook post shared today.

On 9 April 1989, an anti-Soviet, pro-independence demonstration was crushed by the Soviet Army, resulting in 21 deaths and hundreds of injuries. This day is remembered in Georgia as National Unity Day.

“We honour those who lost their lives before witnessing the restoration of independence just two years later,” the post reads.

On this occasion, the EU reaffirmed its steadfast support for Georgia’s sovereignty – “a hard-won achievement that generations of Georgians continue to uphold”.

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Press release