As Georgia celebrated its Independence Day this Sunday, May 26, opponents of the highly controversial “foreign agents” law gathered after the military parade. A massive gathering which seems to mean that the mobilization against this text, described as “ Russian law » by its opponents, is not over.
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With our correspondent in Tbilisi, Régis Genté
“ Sakartvelo, Georgia, Georgia »: this was one of the slogans of the demonstration on Sunday evening, on Independence Day. One of the largest gatherings opposition to the law on foreign agents since the start of the movement, almost two months ago.
Because the former Soviet republic of the South Caucasus has been going through a serious political crisis ever since. A majority of Georgians fear that the said bill will deprive this country of 3.7 million inhabitants of his candidacy for the European Union and brings them definitively back into the Russian orbit.
The movement remains peaceful, within the framework of the law. Hence for many demonstrators the importance of focusing on the parliamentary elections next fall, now that the law was adopted on May 14.
A whole section of young people, very mobilized, are thinking of going to the polls, after having shunned them in recent years. This is the case of Nino, a student: “ The next election will be the most important in the history of Georgia, because we will decide our future, in Europe or with Russia forever. So with all the 18-20 year olds who didn’t vote in the previous elections, I hope we will have a strong turnout. So that we can finally join our family in the European Union. »
The battle continues, having raged in the morning during official Independence Day celebrations: pro-Russian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called pro-European president Salomé Zourabichvili of ” traitor “, For having vetoed the law.
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