Greetings!

Here in Tbilisi, at this beautiful place - Rike, I would like to greet the attending audience, our friends – Congressmen, the representatives of Reagan’s Center, and invited guests.

I think a very small part of our society, mainly the representatives of political parties, are interested in why we are dedicating a statue of Ronald Reagan, why in Tbilisi and why at Rike.

They often said that if we wanted to honor this great man, we could place his statue near the U.S. Embassy.

I want to look at historical context and remind you of Reagan's words: "At the bottom of my heart I know that people are fundamentally positive and truth and kindness always wins."

The façade of the Palace of the President of Georgia has an image with the scripture: “The kind has defeated the evil. Its existence is long”

We are now at Baratashvili Street, near the Baratashvili monument, near Baratashvili Hill. Nikoloz Baratashvili said: “This predestined aspiration will not go badly and the hard road travelled by you will remain.

I want to read to you a quote by Ronald Reagan: "Let us do everything we can, because those who will come after us will say that we did everything we could, that we accomplished this race, that we vindicated freedom for our future generations and we have not lost the faith of victory.”

Reagan's message has never been as important in Georgia as it is today.

The leader of the country that invaded us assessed the collapse of the Soviet Union, in which Ronald Reagan was a huge contributor, as "the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century". 

 A few days ago, the Eurasian Union was created north of us, what they uniformly call the new version of the Soviet Union.

The Russian Orthodox Church called the territory of the Soviet Union, including Georgia, part of historical Russia and it desires to get this territory back within the Russian map.

Reagan snatched this part from their hands, including our country and the idea of our freedom.

Today they are attempting historic revenge against what Ronald Reagan did - they restored the Soviet Union’s national anthem.

We are erecting the Ronald Reagan's statue, as a symbol of the difference between our and their values.

We are not doing this on purpose against someone.

We are not doing this against anyone we are doing it for the idea of Georgia, the ideology, and the moving force for every one of us, freedom. If anyone ever defended our right for freedom, it was Ronald Reagan and the United States of America.

Today we have both Democrats and Republicans here – representatives of both American political parties. Their main values ​​do not differ from each other.

While they have built new mini Berlin walls 40 km away from here, as well as on the bridge of Enguri, on the Anaklia beach, along Akhalgori and Nikozi territory, it reminds us of Reagan's challenging words: "Mr. Gorbachev, destroy the wall", as well as what President Kennedy said: "Ich bin eine Berliner" (I am from Berlin) and also of the current President- Barack Obama’s expression "There will be no sphere of influence."

We are all sure that, just like Major Putin (who was at the time in Germany) saw the Berlin wall destroyed; he will also see the walls of Anaklia, Enguri and other artificial walls of the current Russian leadership ruined.

 The idea of freedom in the Georgian territory will win. The idea of Georgia’s freedom- will spread in all of the Post-Soviet space.

Because no matter how many crusades are launched with the aim of restoring their Soviet Union, in the end, freedom will definitely win and any attempt of restoration of the Soviet Union will bring today’s Russia, which deserves better, on the verge of collapse in the future.

First of all, we are worried about everything that concerns our country and Reagan's message to Georgia has never been as crucial as it is today.

In Georgia, many generations have fought against occupation, many generations have struggled for freedom and I remember the letter of Khevsurians, which was written to the President of United States. The President of that time left this letter unanswered.  It happened in the 20s of the previous century.

Ronald Reagan was the first president, who thoroughly responded to our warrior people’s call.  This was very crucial for Georgia and our neighboring countries in the past and it will continue to be in the future.

This is not just a monument; it is the part of the ongoing process. Freedom is a very important thing.

Today, we are celebrating the eighth anniversary of the Rose Revolution. It is the anniversary of an occurrence which happened in the past. It has been a daily fight for reforms and for forming a European democracy and free society; free from Soviet complexes. 

Those who fundamentally fight against the idea of the Rose Revolution want to return us to the Soviet Union; they want to drag us back to what our country has already overcome.

Unlike any other country, Georgia has had a tremendous change in mentality, public relations has changed dramatically; the surrounding architecture, people’s actions and style of dress and most importantly, people’s thinking has changed.

Mental transformation has happened in Georgia, in which many generations took their part, of course, but no one will return the Georgian youth (I’m talking about young people under 20 years of age) to that time because they are born in free country, they have grown up in a free environment and it is this generation that has fallen in love with freedom.

 I want to thank my American friends again.

I want to say that Ronald Reagan made the Soviet empire collapse 20 years ago while releasing hundreds of millions of people. Georgia’s freedom is also his achievement. Our country shares the same ideas and the same ideology, which Roland Reagan protected and strengthened throughout his service. We know very well what he brought to us and what he will bring us in the future. That’s why he deserves this place in the centre of Tbilisi, in the very heart of Georgia.