We have gathered here today to immortalize the name and memory of President Lech Kaczynski, a great friend of the Georgian people and Georgia"s national hero, Georgian Prime Minister said on New Boulevard, Batumi where he, together with his Polish counterpart unveiled President Lech Kaczynski’s statue.

“In August 2008, President Kaczynski flew to Tbilisi to support our sovereignty, our country and people. Today, as the dire developments unfold in the European continent, we all remember his warning to European leaders: Unless they stood up to the aggression against Georgia, next it would be Ukraine’s and other countries’ turn. Our people took his tragic, untimely death as close to heart as the Poles. By immortalizing the memory of Lech Kaczynski, we reaffirm our respect and gratitude to him, as well as the historical choice of our country and people to take an honorable place in the European family of free nations. Glory to our heroes!”, - said Irakli Garibashvili.

Lech Kaczynski’s values were singled out by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who also thanked the Prime Minister of Georgia for unveiling the statue and honoring the memory of President Kaczynski.

“Almost 14 years have passed since a big country like Russia invaded a small neighboring nation. Lech Kaczynski did not hesitate even for a second to express support for Georgia-on August 12, 2008, he, together with the Presidents of Ukraine and the Baltic States, came to Georgia to support the country and express respect for its free choice. Together with the brave Georgian nation he reaffirmed that Georgia wanted independence, a possible reason why he became the Russian empire’s enemy number one. We are enormously grateful to our Georgian friends for remembering this gesture by President Lech Kaczynski. Great politicians must discern developments around them and call things by their names; but, above all, they must be courageous enough to make the right decisions, and President Kaczynski certainly had this ability-he always made timely decisions”, - added Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.