A large-scale action “Georgia chooses the European Union” was held on Sunday in Tbilisi, a few days before the parliamentary elections.
The action was a dress rehearsal of mobilization before the parliamentary elections on October 26, and its goal was to show support for Georgia's European course.
The march and rally were organized by civil movements and supported by the main opposition parties and the President of Georgia, in response to the suspension of Georgia's accession to the EU due to the government's actions.
Supporters of the European course gathered at five locations and marched to Freedom Square, where a large pro-European rally began with the singing of the Georgian and EU anthems.
The authorities' version: “opposition Pride.”
Georgia's ruling party tried all day to shift the focus of the European march - to the LGBT theme.
The pro-government Imedi TV channel aired the slogan “Opposition Pride”, announced as the main news that Tbilisi Pride joined the march and showed a photo of one activist from the archives.The TV channel also claimed that not many people came to the march and Liberty Square was half-empty.
Georgian Dream MP Irakli Zarkua developed the theme:
“I appeal to all honest citizens who have been misled: do you know that next to this “Pride”, i.e. next to men with long hair, i.e. together with representatives of the LGBT community, you are invited to talk about the development of Georgia and tomorrow. Do you agree with that? Do you support putting lesbian, gay activists and their advocacy on the agenda?”
The text of Zarkua's statement was officially distributed by the Georgian Dream press service.
While the Euro rally was going on in the center of Tbilisi, Tbilisi City Hall was holding an alternative event with the participation of government members and Georgian Dream supporters. The opening of the grandiose 25-hectare park took place in the vicinity of the Tbilisi Sea.
A press release said that 39,280,534.68 (about $14.5 million) of budget money was spent to transform the marshy area into a 25-hectare park.
“Everything is clear: Georgia has won.”
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili spoke to applause at the “Georgia Chooses the European Union” rally at Freedom Square in Tbilisi.
She expressed confidence that citizens will vote for the country's European future at the October 26 parliamentary elections.
“Everything is a sign that a new future is coming, a new Georgia is coming! The Georgia that stands before me today is a free Georgia. There is no one who was forced to come here; there is no one who was told: if you don't come, you will lose your job or scholarship.”
Zurabishvili also addressed the presidents of Moldova and Ukraine, Maia Sandu and Vladimir Zelensky.
“Maia, today will be the day of your victory and the day of victory of the European choice,” Zurabishvili wished Sandu victory in the elections.
“We know that you are also fighting for us and you will win and we will enter Europe together” - these words were addressed to Zelensky.
The President also addressed Georgia's international partners - the EU and the US: “I would like to say that we will be such partners and allies that you have never dreamed of. When we enter Europe, and we will enter Europe!”.
And personal: Zurabishvili shared with the participants of the rally that today she became a grandmother. Her grandson was named Gabriel.
Context
This week, the European Council officially confirmed the de facto suspension of Georgia's EU accession process due to the government's anti-democratic actions, while expressing support for the country's people.
The authorities link the criticism of Western partners to attempts to stage a coup d'état and open a “second front” in Georgia. At the same time, the Georgian Dream continues to promise to bring the country into the European Union if it wins the October 26 elections.
EU leaders have recently been increasingly drawing a line between the European aspirations of the Georgian people and the course of the Georgian Dream, which tends toward authoritarianism. On Thursday, EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell emphasized that against the backdrop of a serious democratic backlash, the Georgian people will have to decide in the elections which path to take - “towards Europe or away from Europe.” The Georgian Dream perceived his words as rude interference in the electoral process.
Reprinted from https://www.newsgeorgia.ge/
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