Mikheil Saakashvili awarded medals to those who developed two armored vehicles and announced the test flight of a new drone tomorrow. (Photo: Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – President Mikheil Saakashvili announced the test flight in a speech April 9.

The date is symbolically significant as a peaceful demonstration for independence was attacked by Soviet troops here in Tbilisi in 1989.

Saakashvili made reference to that incident in his speech, as he awarded medals to twose who developed a new attack vehicle called Lazika and an armored vehicle called Didgori, both unveiled earlier this year. Colonel Giorgi Kalandadze and Levan Charbadze, director of the research center Delta, which produces the vehicles were awarded medals. A distinction was also awarded Gela Chanturidze, deputy director of Delta.

The president spoke about how Georgians have struggled for freedom, and will never give it up.

“There was a long and exhausting war against us to deprive us of freedom, but we have proved that we deserve it, and though we will be fully free only after the de-occupation, now we have the right to be free, we deserved it,” he said, according to Trend news agency.