Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili opened a new long memorial monument of heroes on Hero Square today. The 48 meter high stele made of glass and metal.

It includes the names of nearly 3,500 Georgians who died in fighting for Georgia's independence, including cadets killed by Red Army soldiers in 1918, the leaders of a revolt against Soviet rule in 1924, and military servicemen killed in a five-day war with Russia in August 2008.

The monument's creator, Spanish architect Alberto Domingo, said the monument's idea and shape came from President Saakashvili.

"I just put this idea onto a sheet of paper as a designer," Domingo said. In unveiling the monument, Saakashvili wearing a camouflage military uniform said Georgia has not had a single monument "to true heroes" until lately. "This list of heroes includes not only Georgians but also Abkhazians and Ossetians. They are all worthy sons of Georgia," Georgian leader said.

According to him, there are still many empty places at the memorial and he would wish no new names appear on these places. Saakashvili awarded with the Order of Honor the architect Domingo and a few other constructors who erected the memorial. According to Tbilisi, 198 Georgian soldiers were killed and 1700 wounded during the five-day war with Russia.

Later, Saakashvili giving speech outside the Parliament ahead of military parade marking Independence Day said that "this day is especially precious for Georgian nation, which withstood the world's many empires".

He noted that the independence of Georgia is again under threat today. "They say that obedience and absence of rights is the only way for our survival and existence, but we will never obey to Empire", Saakashvili said, apparently meaning the Russia.

However, Saakashvili said that Georgia is ready to develop relations with "modernized" Russia". Russia today has much bigger problems than those of the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Georgian leader confident. Speaking of Georgia, Saakashvili noted that the path of his country is "development, strengthening of state institutions and democracy".

"We should keep following our path. Sooner or later Russia will follow the path of modernization and it will happen sooner than many can imagine", Echo of Moscow radio station quoted Georgian president as saying. Radio notes that the leadership of Russia, has too, repeatedly said about prospects for normalization of relations with Georgia, but with other authorities in Tbilisi.

The military parade on the Rustaveli Avenue was attended 4325 infantryman, 117 military vehicles and 18 aircraft and helicopters.

After the march of infantrymen on Rustaveli Avenue was demonstrated armored vehicles - Humvee, Cobra, armored personnel carriers - BTR-80, EDJER, artillery unit, artillery systems Msta-B, Geocint, RM-70, GRADLAR, DANA. Military parade was ended by demonstration of aircraft - helicopters UH1-1H, MI-8 assault helicopters - MI-24, assault aircraft - SU-25.