TBILISI, Georgia — Hundreds of people marched in Georgia’s capital Saturday to support the Caucasus region country becoming a candidate for European Union membership.
The EU is expected to announce Dec. 15 whether it has decided to grant Georgia candidate status, a crucial milestone for potential membership. The government was told last month that it should officially receive candidacy once it addresses specific shortcomings, including in the fight against corruption and election deficiencies.
Participants in the “Your Voice to EU” rally in Tbilisi marched from First Republic Square to Europe Square, where a huge EU flag was unfurled. Organizers said that each star on the flag was made in a different region of Georgia, symbolizing the Georgian people’s unity in the aspiration for their country to join the 27-nation bloc.
The march was initiated by President Salome Zourabichvili and organized by civil society groups.
“This is a peaceful march, a demonstration of the people’s will and choice that has been reflected in many initiatives,” Zourabichvili said at Saturday’s event. “This latest initiative, which we are all joining, loudly voices our main wish to the European Union – that we want Europe.”
Zourabichvili’s presence at pro-EU rallies, together with earlier statements against a proposed foreign agent law, indicate a growing divide between her and the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Zourabichvili does not belong to any political party, but Georgian Dream backed her candidacy in the 2018 presidential election. Since assuming office, she has increasingly disagreed with the ruling party’s decisions and policies, especially on foreign affairs.
Opposition parties in recent years accused Georgian Dream of pursuing pro-Russia policies while claiming to be Western-oriented. Opponents charge that the party’s founder, former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who amassed a fortune in Russia, has continued calling the shots in the former…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply