Protesters waved flags during a pro-Europe rally in Tbilisi on October 20, 2024, just before parliamentary elections that are considered a pivotal moment for the country's democracy and its quest for EU membership. — AFP
On Sunday, tens of thousands of Georgians participated in a pro-Europe rally, just days before parliamentary elections that are seen as a critical test for the country's democratic progress and its aspiration to join the EU. The upcoming vote will see an unprecedented coalition of pro-Western opposition forces facing off against the ruling Georgian Dream party, which Brussels has accused of leaning towards authoritarianism and derailing Tbilisi's European ambitions.
Tens of thousands of protesters, carrying both EU and Georgian flags and holding banners proclaiming 'Georgia chooses the European Union,' gathered at Tbilisi's central Freedom Square after marching from five different starting points, according to AFP journalists at the scene. The crowd sang the national anthem and the Georgian version of Europe's 'Ode to Joy.'
Pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili, who is at odds with the government, joined the rally, stating that it 'shows that Georgia has already won and will reintegrate with Europe.' She also addressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying, 'You are fighting for Georgia as well. You will be victorious, and we will enter the European Union together.'
One of the demonstrators, 20-year-old university student Kote Tsintsandze, said, 'Georgia's fate is hanging by a thread. These elections will decide if we can finally break free from Georgian Dream's dictatorship.' Another protester, 49-year-old nurse Lia Nemsadze, commented, 'This huge rally shows that people are rejecting Georgian Dream's pro-Russian government and choosing Europe.'
Several Georgian NGOs, including Georgia's European Orbit and the 'My Voice to the EU' coalition, called for a mass rally starting at 7pm. Organizers stated on Facebook that 'Choosing unity, development, and the European Union, Georgians will rally on October 20 (Sunday) and show their resolve to pursue the path of EU membership.'
Brussels halted Georgia's EU accession process earlier this year after Georgian Dream lawmakers enacted a controversial 'foreign influence law' aimed at civil society. The adoption of this measure, criticized as a Kremlin-style law to stifle dissent, led to weeks of mass street protests and prompted Washington to impose sanctions on numerous Georgian officials.
Earlier this month, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that Georgian Dream's actions 'signal a shift towards authoritarianism.' He described the upcoming polls as 'a crucial test for democracy in Georgia and its European Union path.' Opinion polls suggest that opposition parties are likely to secure enough votes in Saturday's election to form a coalition government and replace the ruling party, controlled by influential billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Analysts have cautioned about the potential for unrest if Georgian Dream attempts to cling to power regardless of the election's outcome. Since coming to power in 2012, the party initially pursued a liberal pro-Western policy agenda but has more recently been accused of moving closer to Moscow.
Membership bids for the EU and NATO are enshrined in Georgia's constitution and are supported by around 80% of the population, according to multiple opinion polls commissioned by organizations such as the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute.
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