Georgian people took to the streets and held a new mass rally on Sunday, July 3, demanding the resignation of the government over its failure to formally secure candidacy for membership of the European Union.
Georgians have staged a new mass rally demanding the government resign over its failure to formally secure candidacy for membership of the European Union.
On Sunday evening, more than 35,000 demonstrators gathered outside Georgian parliament, blocking traffic at the main thoroughfare of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.
“Our demonstration is focused on the historic goal of Georgia’s European integration,” one of the rally organisers, prominent writer and civil activist Lasha Bugadze told the crowd.
“The government’s reaction to our constructive, peaceful, non-violent protests has been totally inadequate,” he said.
The ruling party has accused the opposition of “plans to overthrow the authorities by organising anti-government rallies”.
The Black Sea nation has been in the grip of mass protests since EU leaders decided in late June to defer Tbilisi’s application for membership, pending sweeping political reforms.
The biggest demonstrations in decades, which saw at least 120,000 take to the streets on June 20, are being organised by leading pro-democracy groups and supported by opposition parties.
Waving Georgian and EU flags, demonstrators sang the national anthem as many held placards that read “We are Europe”.
-TRT World