Tens Of Thousands March In Georgia 'for Europe' After Blow To EU Bid

Tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets Monday in support of the country's EU membership bid, days after the European Commission recommended deferring Tbilisi's candidacy

Tbilisi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jun, 2022 ) :Tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets Monday in support of the country's EU membership bid, days after the European Commission recommended deferring Tbilisi's candidacy.

EU leaders are expected to decide by Friday on granting candidate status to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, which all applied for EU membership shortly after Moscow invaded Ukraine on February 24.

Waving Georgian, Ukrainian, and EU flags, an estimated 60,000 demonstrators gathered outside the Georgian parliament on Monday evening for the "March for Europe." Many held placards that read "We are Europe" as the EU anthem, the Ode to Joy, was performed at the demonstration.

The rally was initiated by the Black Sea nation's leading pro-democracy groups and supported by all of the opposition parties to "demonstrate the commitment of the Georgian people to its European choice and Western values".

"Europe is a historical choice and an aspiration of Georgians, for which all generations have given sacrifices," the rally organisers said on Facebook.

Ahead of the rally, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said in a televised address: "We must mobilise on this historical day for our country. Our message is that we want a European Georgia."