Thousands of Georgians protest against the government: “Russian accomplices”

Thousands of people attended the protest held in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The demonstration was aimed at the incumbent government led by the Georgian Dream party, which the demonstrators saw as an extended arm of Russia. Police said the protest went smoothly.

The rally was organized by the pro-Western United National Movement, the main opposition party founded by imprisoned former President Saakashvili. The demonstrators carried flags of the European Union, Ukraine and their home countries, among others.

“The Georgian government is controlled by Moscow and we have to save our homeland from its Russian henchmen,” former President Margvelashvili told the crowd, according to the AFP news agency. “We are freedom-loving people who are part of the European family. We are against Russian slavery.”

Secret Collaboration

The ruling Georgian Dream is accused of jailing dissidents, blocking independent media, collaborating with the Kremlin and opposing Georgia’s pro-EU policies. The leader of the United National Movement said that Moscow is trying to make Georgia a Russian province. “People here are demanding a European future for our country,” he told Reuters news agency.

Among other things, the movement demands the release of political prisoners and the implementation of reforms. The European Union has stipulated this before Georgia can be considered for EU membership.

strong criticism

Anti-government demonstrations are not happening in Georgia for the first time this year. Last month, tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets for a controversial bill that would require organizations to register as “foreign agents” if partially funded from abroad.

Opponents saw this law as “Russian law”: The Kremlin passed a similar law in 2012 and is using it to silence critical media or international organizations like Amnesty International. Georgian Dream withdrew the law with a slap on the arm.

Former President Saakashvili was sentenced to six years in absentia for abuse of power in 2018 and was actually arrested when he arrived in his home country three years later. Human rights groups say the conviction was politically motivated. According to doctors, his health has deteriorated sharply in recent months.

Source: NOS

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