Tens Of Thousands Rally In Georgia For EU, Demanding Reforms

Tens of thousands of Georgians staged a fresh rally on Friday in favour of EU membership, a day after the bloc's leaders deferred Tbilisi's candidacy, demanding widespread political reforms

Tbilisi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2022 ) :Tens of thousands of Georgians staged a fresh rally on Friday in favour of EU membership, a day after the bloc's leaders deferred Tbilisi's candidacy, demanding widespread political reforms.

Georgia applied for EU membership together with Ukraine and Moldova, days after Russia launched an all-out war on Ukraine.

On Thursday, EU leaders granted formal candidate status to Kyiv and Chisinau but said Tbilisi could only become an official candidate once outstanding issues are addressed.

The EU anthem, the Ode to Joy, was performed outside the Georgian parliament where tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered on Friday evening, waving Georgian and EU flags.

Organised by Georgia's leading pro-democracy groups and opposition forces, the rally was held amid growing anger against the government over the failure to secure EU candidate status and damaging ties with Brussels.

"Whatever promises the Georgian government makes, we do not believe it would respect its own words," rally organisers said on Facebook.

"We, the Georgian people, must assume responsibility for implementing the required reforms. The Georgian people have to defend their European choice." The European Council has however "recognised Georgia's European perspective" -- in a move President Salome Zurabishvili hailed as "historic." Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said his government was "mobilised" to meet EU requirements on time "so that we get the candidate's status as soon as possible.

" - 'Wrath against oligarch' - In a statement issued Friday, the ruling Georgian Dream party defended its democratic record and accused the opposition of "plans to overthrow the authorities by organising anti-government rallies".

In what was the biggest demonstration in decades, at least 120,000 Georgians took to the streets Monday in support of the country's EU membership bid.

The rally organisers announced at the time the launch of a "new popular movement" that will include opposition parties but will be dominated by civil activists.

The deferral of Georgia's candidacy had been a foregone conclusion after the European Commission said last week that Tbilisi must implement sweeping political reforms by the end of 2022 before it is put on a formal membership path.

The EU conditions for granting Georgia candidate status include ending political polarisation, progress on media freedom, judiciary and electoral reforms as well as "de-oligarchisation." Earlier this month, the European Parliament passed a non-binding resolution calling on the EU to impose personal sanctions against Georgia's richest man Bidzina Ivanishvili for his "destructive role" in Georgia's politics and economy.

Ivanishvili insists he has retired from politics.

The Georgian Dream government has faced mounting international criticism over perceived backsliding on democracy, seriously damaging Tbilisi's ties with Brussels.