Georgia. tens of thousands of pro-Europeans in Tbilisi

Tens of thousands of pro-European activists demonstrated again on Sunday in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, demanding the resignation of the government, which is accused of obtaining the status of a candidate for the European Union.

Protesters blocking the main traffic of the capital waved European and Georgian flags, as well as signs.We are EuropeAFP journalists noted. All opposition parties and several pro-European organizations had called for demonstrations to step up pressure on the ruling party, Georgian Dream, which has been blamed for the authoritarian movement and worsening relations with Brussels.

“We demand that oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili (founder, editor of Georgian Dream) give up executive power and, respecting the Constitution, hand it over to the government of national unity.“In the Facebook message, they called on Saturday.

We need a new governmentimplement the reforms required by the EU, which will automatically bring us to the status of a candidate for EU membership“, the text continues.

“New stage»

“Today we are starting a new phase of our demonstrations. we will remain united– said the organizers. On June 23, the European leaders said to themselves:ready to grant candidate statusto Georgia, which was the target of a Russian armed attack in 2008, but when serious reforms were implemented. This decision was followed by protests against the “Georgian Dream”, during which Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is considered the strongman of the country, even if he no longer has an official political function, was demanded to leave the government.

Georgia, which borders the Black Sea, applied to join the EU along with Ukraine and Moldova, two other former Soviet republics, days after the Kremlin attacked Ukraine on February 24. On June 23, European leaders granted this status to Kyiv and Chisinau, but not to Tbilisi, while recognizing “European perspectiveFrom Georgia.

“Georgia’s future is in the EU– assured Charles Michel, the President of the European Council. This announcement was hailed as “historicalby the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili. “We are ready to work hard over the next few months to achieve candidate status.“, he wrote on Twitter. But Brussels is asking Tbilisi for reforms to strengthen justice, press freedom, the electoral system and fight oligarchs in a country regularly rocked by political crises.

The Prime Minister of the “Georgian Dream” party, Irakli Gharibashvili, assured that his government “mobilized“implement these reforms and get candidate status”as soon as possible“. Georgia wants to join the EU and NATO for years. Against the backdrop of these ambitions, a short war in 2008 pitted Russia against Russia, which immediately recognized the independence of the two Georgian separatist territories.