Mikheil Saakashvili warned against the enemy within during a speech to soldiers at an April 9 commemmoration ceremony. (Photo: Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – Speaking on April 9, officially known as The Day of National Unity, President Mikheil Saakashvili warned against his country’s enemy within.

Addressing soldiers in the yard of the parliament building on the important public holiday dedicated to unity, Saakashvili evoked the memory of the moment when Soviet troops attacked peaceful pro-independence protesters in the same spot 23 years ago.

Then he went on to warn against those who would collaborate with the empire. Saakashvili said that there are people in Georgia who see themselves only as part of the empire, people who fundamentally do not believe in the idea of Georgia’s freedom.

“Throughout our entire history there has been a struggle between the ideas of freedom and obedience,” Saakashvili said. He described how Georgia differs from other nations: That some nations give up their freedom easily, but Georgia is not that kind of nation.