Celebration comes just days ahead of a new vote on the controversial “foreign agents” law that was cleared by Georgia’s parliament last week but then was vetoed by the country’s president Salome Zurabishvil.

Zurabishvili and senior government officials attended the ceremony in Tbilisi that included a parade of troops.

In her address to the public, the president said: “Today, as the specter of Russia looms over us, partnership and rapprochement with Europe are the true path to preserving and strengthening our independence and peace.”

The Polish embassy in Tbilisi also congratulated Georgians on the occasion.

The embassy wrote: “All the best to our friends from Georgia on the occasion of Independence Day! Congratulations from Poland!”