Georgian non-governmental organisations staged a pro-European Union march within the capital Tbilisi on Saturday (9 December), every week forward of the bloc’s determination on granting the nation membership candidacy standing.
EU leaders are set to debate placing Tbilisi on a proper membership path and to launch accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova throughout a European Council assembly on 14-15 December.
President Salome Zurabishvili joined the rally at Tbilisi’s Europe Sq. the place demonstrators unfolded a 33-metre-long and 22-metre-wide EU flag, which organisers claimed to be the “largest on this planet”.
A record-size EU flag was unveiled throughout the European March in Tbilisi 🇬🇪 yesterday. The EU leaders will announce a remaining determination on 🇬🇪’s candidacy subsequent week. Civil society has been the spine of the nation’s European alternative defending its very important international coverage aim. pic.twitter.com/94C1XMUfu9
— Giorgi Revishvili (@revishvilig) December 10, 2023
She mentioned she counted on EU leaders to grant her nation candidate standing,
but additionally expressed concern over the place of Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán.
He has threatened to dam key choices regarding Ukraine on the upcoming EU summit — risking to impression Georgia’s probabilities of acquiring candidate standing on the identical time.
“It could be extraordinarily critical if Orbán — beneath the affect of Russia — may power the European Union to go in opposition to choices that lead towards a typical European future, towards the shared freedom of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova within the European area,” Zurabishvili mentioned.
EU chief Charles Michel met Orbán on 27 November to ease tensions, whereas French President Emmanuel Macron hosted him in Paris on Thursday in a bid to interrupt the impasse over Ukraine.
‘Good day Europe, goodbye Russia’
Beating drums, waving EU banners and Georgia’s five-cross flags, a number of hundred representatives of Georgian NGOs, marched on Saturday alongside Tbilisi’s primary thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue.
“Georgians’ unity holds decisive significance on our path in direction of the EU,” the march organisers mentioned in an announcement. “We should as soon as once more reveal our unity and guarantee our voice is heard.”
Demonstrators expressed optimism over Georgia’s probabilities to advance on its EU accession path, with some saying that will mark Georgia’s remaining rupture with Soviet-era grasp Russia.
“I’m positive we’ll get EU candidacy as a result of we, Georgians, belong to Europe,” one of many rally members, pupil Marika Gerliani, 20, advised AFP.
One other demonstrator, 60-year-old mathematician Nika Tvauri, mentioned: “It’s about Georgia returning residence. Good day Europe, goodbye Russia.”
Georgia utilized for EU membership alongside Ukraine and Moldova after Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbour in February 2022.
EU leaders have granted candidate standing to Kyiv and Chisinau however urged Tbilisi to first implement judicial and electoral reforms, enhance press freedom and curtail the facility of oligarchs.
In November, the European Fee advisable EU leaders to grant Tbilisi an official candidate standing.
The advice got here with a caveat that the Georgian authorities takes reform steps “that mirror the real aspirations of the overwhelming majority of its residents to hitch the European Union”.
In line with opinion polls, greater than 80% of the inhabitants helps
European Union and NATO membership, that are enshrined in Georgia’s structure.
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