In Tbilisi, Georgia, the Mayor Kakha Kaladze has postponed the Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Rustaveli Avenue outside parliament.
This is a symbolic defeat for Georgian Dream, who were determined to go ahead with the lighting of the Christmas tree in the middle of huge protests as a gesture that they were in control of the country and everything was just fine.
Everything is far from fine, and this last minute postponement could be a sign they are losing their nerve.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, the actual legitimate President Zourabichvilli has just turned up outside parliament at the very moment the mayor has announced the postponement of the Christmas tree lighting ceremony due to massive protests happening all around it.
It's not yet clear what she's doing there. I think she may be gloating, just a little bit.
This is legitimate President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvilli standing beneath the unlit Christmas tree outside parliament in Tbilisi.
Minutes earlier, the ruling Georgian Dream party had scurried off after abandoning plans to light the tree, due to the massive crowd of protestors who refuse to let the government carry on as everything is normal in Georgia. It's not.
She addressed the crowd of cheering protestors simply :
"I am with you, and you are in my heart."
"Estonia has expanded its original sanctions list of 11 Georgian officials to include another 14 high-ranking officials, judges as well as the prime minister of Georgia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Sunday.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna signed a directive serving as the basis for Estonia sanctioning another 14 Georgian officials and judges, including Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze."
https://news.err.ee/1609551817/estonia-adds-another-14-georgian-officials-judges-to-sanctions-list
Estonia has expanded its original sanctions list of 11 Georgian officials to include another 14 high-ranking officials, judges as well as the prime minister of Georgia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Sunday.
In Georgia, the lighting of the Christmas tree was a power move by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
To hold a ceremony and light the tree in the very spot outside parliament where protests had been ongoing for weeks would have sent a powerful message.
So the fact they bottled out last night and cancelled the event, at the last minute, though they had thousands of riot police in place, is a huge PR loss.
Amateur dictatorships don't last.
Georgia- Polling shows huge loss of support for ruling party.
"When asked, in today's reality, who do you support, the opposition or the "Georgian Dream"? - 65% of the population chooses the opposition, while only 22% of respondents name the "Georgian Dream".
The survey also shows that 65% of the population supports the protests. The research organization also notes that the protest sentiment is higher among young people aged 18-34, with 76% supporting it."
In Georgia, every section of society is protesting against the illegitimate government.
And, really, it's every section of society. It's become fun to see which section comes next.
Yesterday, among many others, there were protests by extreme sports fans and alpinists.
Today we have the art restorers and later a joint march between the Tbilisi section of F.C. Barcelona and Real Madrid fans.
The opposition in Georgia is united in so many ways.
Mikheil Kavelashvili was 'voted' in as President of Georgia yesterday in a move which is seen as illegitimate by many. Many politicians and leaders globally yesterday reaffirmed that current president Salome Zourabichvilli is still the only legitimate leader in Georgia
So far, the only countries who have acknowledged the Kavelashvili presidency are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.
Are you spotting the pattern yet?
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/12/14/who-is-mikheil-kavelashvili-georgias-new-president
"Lithuania stands with the people of Georgia and their European dream.
In coordination with Estonia, we have expanded the list of sanctioned Georgian politicians by adding 17 more individuals, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
We will not tolerate the violence& oppression against peaceful protesters, journalists and the opposition.
It's time for joint EU level action now."
Kestutis Budris,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Lithuania.
Lithuania and Estonia have imposed more sanctions on Georgia, including the Georgian PM Khobakidze.
This is in addition to sanctions already imposed by Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Ukraine last week.
These countries are not waiting for a consensus or whatever it is the other countries in the world are waiting for.
It's past time for the world to react to the impending dictatorship in Georgia.
Sanctions. Now!
In Georgia, F.C. Barcelona and Real Madrid fans have put their differences to one side and joined together in a march against the illegitimate government.
Footballing rivalries don't get much more heated than Barcelona and Real Madrid. They hate each other, but they hate the Georgian government even more.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, this is the march of internally displaced people.
These are people who have already lost their homes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia due to the ongoing Russian occupation of those regions of Georgia.
They are determined not to lose the whole country to Russia.
Also in Tbilisi, Georgia, the march of painters and other artists are heading for parliament.
They've gone for a minimalist approach. The flag says simply:
Elections.
Again in Tbilisi, Georgia, this is the march of the Election Observers. They are marching to parliament under the banner:
"We Demand New Elections"
Read that again, slowly. This is Georgia now.
Today in Georgia we've seen artists and painters, Barcelona and Real Madrid fans, art historians and restorers, internally displaced people, and election observers all having separate protest marches on parliament.
Every section of Georgian society is protesting against the government
Tomorrow in Georgia it's the turn of the Grandparents. They're marching for their grandchildren's European future.
Georgian society is becoming unstoppable.
Popular Georgian folk band the Trio Mandili have been entered into the 'debate' over whether Georgian integration into Europe will threaten the traditional Georgian way of life.
American right wing nob Jackson Hinckle used their photo on Twitter as an example of traditional Georgian culture. Trio Mandili quickly responded on community notes to say they welcome Georgia's integration into the E.U. and have even been at many of the Pro EU protests in Georgia recently.
LOL.
"We are having an unusual Russian winter in Georgia but we will have a Georgian spring !!!"
Salome Zourabichvilli,
President of Georgia.
(Talking about the weather. Maybe...)
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday Brussels had put forward a list of Georgians to sanction over a crackdown on pro-Western protesters, but Hungary was set to block the measures.
“We have proposed the list for sanctions for these people who are… using really force and violence against the opposition,” Kallas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
“But everybody needs to agree to the list, and we are not there yet.”
In Georgia, the illegitimate government has been in power for just 10 days.
They have wasted no time in passing a head spinning amount of repressive laws primarily aimed at crushing protests on the street, and any dissent within the civil service.
They've even passed a law on 'Preventive Detention' so they are able to detain anyone who they think might be about to commit a crime.
If it sounds like Minority Report, that's because it is exactly like Minority Report.
https://publika.ge/lazeri-nighabi-da-skhva-cvlilebebi-ra-sheicvala-administraciul-kodeqsshi/
In Tbilisi, Georgia, today there is another full programme of protests from different sections of civil society.
Today it's the turn of couriers, local neighbourhood associations, grandparents, filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts, literary figures, and Airbnb hosts to make the point that every section of society in Georgia are against the illegitimate government.
Under huge pressure from weeks of massive protests, the Georgian government are now being reasonable.
Well, they're trying, but the gaslighting is baked in.
The Grandparents march in Tbilisi, Georgia is underway. They're marching to parliament to demand that their grandchildren's future is in the E.U.
"Today I reiterated in the clearest terms to Georgian Dream representative Maka Botshorishvili that police violence and arbitrary arrests in Georgia are unacceptable.
The UK will consider all options to ensure those responsible are held accountable."
Stephen Doughty,
Minister for European Affairs,
U.K.
In the E.U. Foreign Affairs Council meeting, the proposed sanctions against Georgia have just been vetoed by Hungary and Slovakia.
The next E.U. move against Georgia is
visa restrictions, which just need a majority vote.
Sanctions from individual countries are being discussed by Germany, France and Poland and others in the E.U. in a 'coalition of the willing'.
Outside parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia, the Christmas tree has been lit up tonight without a ceremony as there are still too many protestors outside parliament.
Georgians aren't too bothered either way. All they want for Christmas is a new government.
Protestors in Tbilisi, Georgia made a point of stopping outside the Hungarian Embassy today as Orban followed up on his promise to veto all the proposed EU sanctions against Georgia.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, The Battle Of The Christmas Tree continues.
In a bid to pretend everything is normal in Tbilisi, Georgia, the authorities have turned on the Christmas lights, hoping the festive atmosphere will distract from the huge nightly protests.
It's not really having the desired effect. Now we can better see the thousands of people gather nightly around parliament.
It's the same protests, but with a cheery festive glow.
In Tbilisi, Georgia today it's the turn of the hospitality workers to march on parliament in protest against the illegitimate government.
What's on the menu today, Chef?
Starter: Free all unjustly arrested.
Main Course: Free and fair elections
Dessert: European Integration
"Tina Bokuchava, leader of one of Georgia's main opposition parties, the United National Movement (UNM), has said targeted sanctions by the European Union would "mount tremendous pressure" on Georgian state institutions involved in the crackdown on pro-EU protestors in the capital Tbilisi.
"We also count on the west standing by the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people and moving beyond statements of concern to concrete actions against this government."
https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/1217/1486947-georgia-tina-bokuchava-opposition-protests/
In Georgia, more than 500 companies have signed a statement demanding re-elections and the release of individuals arrested during the protests.
The companies are across a variety of industries, and include some big names: CocaCola, McDonald's, GPI holding, PSP, Magticom, and Spar.
Via Publika Georgia.
"If we do not do enough to support the Georgian people at their greatest hour of need, it will only feed into the Russian narrative that, when push comes to shove, the West cannot be trusted, and that the only option for countries like Georgia is to reconcile themselves to Moscow.
Reclaiming Georgia will give Putin a nice “consolation prize” for his losses in Syria, and a potential bargaining chip in negotiations with the West over Ukraine."
Alexandra Hall Hall.
"A number of our interlocutors voiced concern that Georgia was falling victim to the same Russian methods as Lukashenka’s regime has employed in Belarus.
Our mission felt that darkness was descending on this beleaguered but freedom-loving country. The West has a responsibility to act before it is too late."
Statement on Georgia,
McCain Institute,
U.S.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, the universities are taking a turn marching to parliament to demand an end to the illegitimate government.
This sign is 🔥
This is Tbilisi, Georgia and yet another section of civil society is on a march to parliament to protest against the illegitimate government.
'Historians - on the right side of history!'
This is Tbilisi, Georgia, and the University Society march on parliament.
Imperial College, Cambridge, U.K. is represented here. Since 2015, hundreds of Georgians have received Chevening scholarships to study in the U.K. as part of the Wardrop programme. This has been suspended by the U.K. in light of recent events in Georgia.
There's a lot on the line in Georgia.
This morning Salome Zourabichvilli, the only legitimate President of Georgia, addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
She told the full truth about the illegitimacy of the recent elections, the state capture by the Georgian Dream party, the violent repression of protest, and the detainment of opposition members.
She linked this all back to Russia's hybrid war and made it all very clear. They're not just coming for Georgia, they're coming for all of us.
Wake Up!
“If Georgia falls under Russian control… the stakes are very high. This struggle is part of the larger confrontation between Europe and Russian aggression.
After Russia lost in Syria… failed to impose itself in Ukraine… and Moldova… should it win in Georgia?”
Salome Zourabichvilli,
Georgian President,
European Parliament Address.
"The current crisis has transcended the boundaries of party politics and is posing an imminent social and economic threat to the country. An urgent de-escalation of the situation is necessary. The most pragmatic way to de-escalate is to schedule new elections and release those arrested during the recent processes before the New Year."
Statement by business association Free Business Georgia, signed by over 800 Georgian companies.
In Georgia, the statement from the business association Free Business Georgia calling for new elections and the release of political prisoners has really taken off.
Over 800 businesses have signed it, including McDonalds and Coca-Cola.
Georgian businesses are not well known for their political activism, but they've had enough. As Toyota Center Tbilisi founder and director Irakli Gurchiani said:
“Absolutely no one cares anymore what PM Irakli Kobakhidze threatens.”
Hit them in the pocketbooks. That will get their attention.
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