TBILISI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Georgia on Monday marked the 77th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili laid a wreath at the bust sculpture of a Soviet Georgian soldier at the Veteran Park in Tbilisi, and delivered a speech at the ceremony, highlighting the "tremendous contribution and great merit" of the Georgian soldiers in the victory of the war.
"I wish to once again pay tribute to our heroes, who sacrificed their lives for a better future of the world. Victory in the war was greatly preconditioned by the participation of Georgians," he said.
Representatives of the government and WWII veterans from across the country presented at the ceremony.
Other major Georgian cities, including Gori and Kutaisi, also held ceremonies to commemorate the Victory Day.
Up to 700,000 Georgians served as part of the Soviet armed forces in WWII and nearly 400,000 died, according to the country's State Service of Veterans Affairs. ■