Georgia: In Tbilisi, thousands of people argue that the Georgian nation must be part of the European family
A huge EU flag was unfurled in Tbilisi's Europe Square, a week before the European Council's political decision on opening EU accession negotiations for the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine and granting candidate country status to Georgia. At the march entitled "Georgia's Voice to Europe", tens of thousands of people gathered: ordinary citizens, representatives of non-governmental organizations and political parties to send a message to show that Georgians are unanimous in their desire for Georgia to become part of the European community. The president of Tbilisi, Salome Zurabishvili, joined the march.
"So many people are looking to Europe. Europe is a space where people, their free opinion, matter most, so I very much hope that this opinion will be taken into account and that we can celebrate again after 15 December. Then let's prepare for next year, which will be no less important", emphasized President Salome Zurabișvili.
"It is essential that ordinary people tell our friends in the European Union that we Georgians, as an ancient European nation, should be part of the union of nations, which have already succeeded in creating civilized democratic states. For us, this means the peaceful unification of Georgia, real peace, stable peace," said Giorgi Baramidze, a member of the United National Movement.
The EU flag unfurled in Tbilisi's Europe Square is 33 meters long. The flag has stars sewn into different regions of Georgia, symbolizing the European aspirations of the entire Georgian society.
