Eight opposition parties announce rally in Tbilisi in September

Eight opposition parties in Georgia have announced a joint rally on 13 September, warning that the “country faces a real risk of losing visa-free travel to the European Union” if the government failed to meet Brussels’ conditions.

Elene Khoshtaria, a leader of the Coalition for Change, spoke at a joint briefing, saying the deadline set by the EU for reforms expired on 31 August. She criticised the ruling Georgian Dream party for “taking no steps to comply with the requirements.”

“This regime, a Russian-style regime, is fundamentally incompatible with our European and Euro-Atlantic agenda, our statehood, independence, and European future,” Khoshtaria claimed.

She called on citizens and all opposition parties to unite for the rally, which will begin at 19:00 outside Tbilisi State University and proceed to the Parliament. Khoshtaria urged participants to oppose what she described as the regime’s collaboration with Russian interests and stressed the importance of defending Georgia’s independence and European integration.

“We will gather on 13 September, be very numerous, and say that this Russian regime does not represent the Georgian people or Georgia,” she added.