Somewhere in Georgia there's a poor admin worker trying to keep up with this post from Free Business Georgia. It's a statement from businesses calling for new elections and the end of detaining protestors.
There are about 1500 businesses already signed up, and over 1000 businesses waiting for their signature to be verified. And they just don't stop.
The illegitimate Georgian government has responded to U.S. and U.K. sanctions in typical illegitimate Georgian government style.
The sanctioned Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri has been promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, and the sanctioned heads of the police command have all been given the Award of Honour.
If it sounds like a ludicrous bravado move which the Russians would do, that's because it is.
On December 20, GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze appointed Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri - an official sanctioned the day earlier by the U.S., as well as by the U.K., Ukraine, Lithuania, Est
Council of Europe head Alain Berset concludes his visit to Georgia.
“I am not here to legitimize elections, that is the responsibility of other competent institutions.The key reason of my visit was to meet with everyone, as dialogue is the cornerstone of any functional democracy.”
Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, has been on a 3 day visit to Georgia.
His visit has gone down really badly with Georgians. While the legitimacy or otherwise of the recent elections is not within his remit, they feel he could have done and said a lot more to criticise the government and their democratic backsliding.
Georgians feel that all his visit has actually done is give legitimacy to an illegitimate government. This was a diplomatic failure.
"Let me say this one more time, louder this time: Georgians have been in the streets since November 28 to repeal the Russian puppet regime, not just the Russian law. End of story."
Anna Gvarishvili,
Georgian journalist.
EU propose visa restrictions on Georgian government officials.
"Today we are taking action to hold Georgian authorities accountable for the violent repression of peaceful protests. This sends a clear message to the Georgian authorities that they cannot repress opposition voices or curtail freedom of expression without consequences."
Kaja Kallas,
EU Foreign Affairs.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_6547
"Georgia's so called PM Kobakhidze now says the state will compensate all financial losses of the U.S. and U.K. sanctioned persons.
This is a defiant, open anti-American & anti-British stance and disregard to human rights, but also an attempt to prevent regime defections in fear of sanctions. Which means that sanctions have a serious potential to work, and we need more of them."
Marika Mikiashvili,
Georgia.
In Georgia, Aleksi Tirkia, the 22-year-old that fell into a coma after a tear gas capsule hit him in the head on one of the first nights of protests in Tbilisi, has been discharged from the hospital.
Apparently, he can't wait to get back to the protests. Georgians are unstoppable.
“I met with the delegation from the Council of Europe, who seem a bit confused and lack a full understanding of the situation here. I clarified that it’s not within their mandate or right to appoint a commission to an illegitimate government, especially not one considering “Russian law”.
From today, Secretary General Alain Berset will gain a clearer picture of the lies and provocations that define Georgian Dream's actions.”
Salome Zourabichvilli,
President of Georgia.
"In our shared spirit of democracy and respect for human rights, we proudly declare: Glory to Ukraine. Long Live Belarus. Georgia belongs in Europe."
Senator Ben Cardin,
Chair,
U.S. Foreign Relations Committee.
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led leaders of European foreign affairs...
According to this, the 'Deep State' controls not just America but the whole world and only Donald Trump can save us by de-oligarchising everywhere, but he's got a massive fight on his hands and the rest of us in the free world need to support him.
Georgian PM Irakli Khobakidze is either a very confused man or he's just in it for the lols.
Georgian Dream's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has announced that 11 senior officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be nominated for the Order of Honor following Mikheil Kavelashvili's
This is Gori, Georgia, a small city close to the Russian occupied territory of South Ossetia.
They're burning an effigy of Putin in protest of, well, everything.
This was brought up in the House of Commons in the U.K. by MP Blair McDougal earlier this week, but hasn't had much attention.
Georgian minigarch Irakli Rukladze is the director of U.K. firm Hunnewell. He runs Georgian propaganda T.V. channel Imedi. He is responsible for the main media arm of the illegitimate, human rights trampling Georgian Dream party.
He does all of this from the comfort of his London home and is also a U.S. citizen.
WTF.
"Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned the British Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, over the sanctions imposed on December 19 by the United Kingdom on senior Georgian officials for their role in a systematic crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, civil society, the media, and opposition figures.
Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili expressed concern about the sanctions, telling the Ambassador that “such actions damage the friendly relations between the two countries”
OSCE Report on Georgia Elections
“Numerous issues noted in our final report negatively impacted the integrity of these elections and eroded public trust in the process."
"To safeguard the democratic principles currently at stake in Georgia, it is imperative that the authorities urgently address all concerns.”
Eoghan Murphy,
Georgia Mission Head,
OSCE.
WARSAW, 20 December 2024 – In its final report on the observation of the 26 October parliamentary elections in Georgia, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) reiterates its earlier findings and conclusions.
What do lawyers, nursery teachers, energy sector workers, international relations students, autistic people, tech workers, and vegans have in common?
Oh, nothing much. That's just the different groups of society that marched on parliament in protest of their illegitimate government in Tbilisi, Georgia, and that's just today.
When I say everybody is protesting in Georgia, I really do mean EVERYBODY is protesting in Georgia.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, Free University and Agricultural University students have blocked the main highway into Tbilisi. They are starting from their university campus and will, eventually, in their own time, be marching to parliament.
This is just one of about 22 protest marches planned for today. And that's just in the capital of Tbilisi.
Today, as well as students, tattoo artists, the fashion industry, traditional folk dancers, and others, representatives of all the different regions of Georgia are marching on parliament in Tbilisi. There are Rachvelians, Kartlelians, Megrelians, Svanetis, Adjarians, Ingaretians, and more.
At this point they're all mixed in and there's no way of knowing where one march ends and another begins. It's just one big glorious mess of Georgians from everywhere, all together.
Traditional Georgian folk dance is old. Older than anyone really knows. Archeologists find 4,000 year old pottery that has depictions of folk dancers on it.
The Khorumi is a special dance. It's a sacred 'warrior' dance that tells the story of armies repelling invaders from Georgia.
And, right now, in 2024, the Khorumi dancers of Georgia are dancing towards parliament in Tbilisi to repel their Russian backed illegitimate government out of Georgia.
Video Mariam Geguchadze.
"Had a good call with Georgia’s President Zourabichvili. In this moment of political crisis, she is the only legitimate leader of the country. I agree with her—the only way forward for Georgia is a new election. The people of Georgia deserve a government that represents them."
Rep. Joe Wilson,
Chair,
U.S. Helsinki Commission
Tbilisi, Georgia is on it's 24th consecutive day of protests. Today there were over 20 separate marches with an estimated 200,000 people. They danced the traditional Georgian folk dance the Khorumi outside parliament and it was magical.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Tbilisi, doing his best to pretend everything is just fine, organized a Christmas concert. Nobody turned up.
Nobody, as in, literally, nobody.
Georgian protestors have taken over the physical civic space in Tbilisi to the point where they can perform traditional Georgian war dance the Khorumi in front of parliament to cheering crowds of hundreds of thousands of people and there is literally fuck all the illegitimate government can do about it.
Meanwhile the ruling Georgian Dream party have set up a Christmas village in Tbilisi in a desperate attempt to distract from the hundreds of thousands of protestors on the streets day and night and to try to pretend everything is totally normal.
It hasn't worked. Not a single person turned up for the Saturday night free film screening. Not even when they were showing Elf.
This is how the Christmas tree outside parliament in Tbilisi Georgia looks this evening. It's festooned with banners from the 20+ protest marches that took place today.
It's not a typo. 20+ protest marches, in one day.
Last night in Georgia, something very special happened.Professional Georgian folk dancers led thousands of Georgians through the streets of Tbilisi all the way to parliament. They were dancing the Khorumi, an ancient and sacred warrior's victory march.
In a nutshell, they summoned the spirits of the ancestors to rid their country of the invaders which this time around are the Russia backed illegitimate government.
We've been here so many times before.
Last night's Khorumi dancers outside parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia have turbocharged the protestors in a way that the illegitimate Georgian government doesn't fully understand yet. But they will.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, among many other demonstrations today, it's the demonstration of motorcycles.
The motorcyclists are just like every other section of Georgian society. They are revved up for change.
There are some strong rumours that the U.S. Senate is getting ready to pass the 'Megobari Act', a resolution that supports the Georgian people while discouraging the democratic backsliding of the Georgian government.
In his latest massive failure to read the room, in a briefing today Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze once again threatened President Salome Zourabichvili:
"On December 29, she will have to leave office. Let’s see where she continues her life—behind bars or outside them."
In Tbilisi, Georgia last night, the ruling Georgian Dream party opened a Christmas village. The Georgian people are too busy protesting and so angry at the government that nobody went.
Well, that's not strictly true. Georgian Nikoloz Humonodi was there. He even took some amazing self portraits that fall somewhere in the space between performance art and massive pisstake.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, today, by my count there are 'only' 6 separate marches on parliament. The Kakhetians, French speakers, English teachers, Erasmus students, Motorcyclists, and Army veterans.
It seems they are saving some space outside parliament for 9 p.m. Tbilisi time when President Salome Zourabichvilli is due to address the protestors and the nation.
What she has to say is being kept under wraps, so, watch that space.
How to explain this one. In Tbilisi, Georgia there's a Christmas village the government has put on in an attempt to distract from the huge protests happening nightly.
The people are boycotting the Christmas village. Last night it was completely empty.
Tonight President Zourabichvilli took to the stage at the Christmas village in front of a huge crowd of protestors, said 'This space is ours now' and left, to thunderous applause.
After the ruling Georgian Dream stole her first sound system and jammed the signal on the replacement microphone, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvilli had to postpone her address to the protestors outside parliament in Tbilisi Georgia this evening. She will give her full address from the palace tomorrow.
The thousands of disappointed protestors saw her off home with a rousing chorus of the Georgian national anthem.
Earlier this evening, President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvilli tried to address a crowd of thousands of demonstrators in Tbilisi.
Just because they are that petty, the ruling Georgian Dream party jammed her microphone so most of the crowd couldn't hear what she had to say.
The Georgian Dream are petty, they're also not very bright. She has effortlessly outsmarted them by going online and posting what she had to say. It's in the posts below. 👇
"Election has not taken place: There is only one formula to resolve the current crisis, one universally recognized in every democratic country - new elections!
I invite Ivanishvili, Kobakhidze, Papuashvili, and other involved parties to Orbeliani Palace to negotiate.
The only topic: when and how to hold new elections!"
Salome Zourabichvilli.
/1👇
"I am ready to sit down and find a solution on how to schedule elections, but the decision must be agreed upon by the 29th.
By the 29th, we all have the opportunity to move this country forward - making Georgia a global example of democracy, reconciliation, and progress!"
Salome Zourabichvilli,
President of Georgia.
/2👇
"Georgia never surrenders when it stands for what is right. And Georgia is right - you are right!
I will remain loyal - loyal to this country and to the Constitution to which I swore an oath six years ago.
Though trampled underfoot, this Constitution stands firm, just like Georgia.
I will uphold it and remain faithful to it!"
Salome Zourabichvilli,
President of Georgia.
/3👇
"I am, and will remain, loyal to the people—not just those here today, but all Georgians.
Let no one doubt that I am, and will always be, everyone’s President!!
I will remain loyal to the Georgian Army—its veterans, soldiers, and steadfast partners who built and strengthened it.
I am, and will remain, its Commander-in-Chief!"
Salome Zourabichvili,
President of Georgia.
/4 Fin
"They threaten to jail her.
Does she look scared or confused to you?
She is so clearly rejoicing in history in making, fully comprehending her role in it, and feeling the ever-increasing public gratitude and love.
Born to be here and now.
Our only legitimate President, Salome Zourabichvilli !"
Marika Mikiashvili,
Georgia.
Day 26 of protests in Georgia brings 11 sperate protests to Tbilisi.
The desire to be rid of the illegitimate government is so clear that even the Philosophers are in agreement.
'I think, therefore I am, marching to parliament.'
In Tbilisi Georgia, the protests just go on and on, like an unstoppable river of people.
Today, the oncology patients are taking their turn to march on parliament in protest against their illegitimate government.
"I defeated cancer, I'll defeat the Georgian Dream too."
In Tbilisi, Georgia, right now, the Philosophers are marching to parliament in protest against the government.
It's an existential crisis.
The Philosophers ARE marching on parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia. Although I'm sure they wouldn't all agree with that statement....
"I think, therefore I can't be a Georgian Dream supporter."
International Republican Institute Report on Georgia Elections.
"The IRI mission concludes that Georgia’s parliamentary elections were fundamentally flawed due to a legal framework and regulatory practices that hindered genuine electoral competition, misuse of public resources by the ruling government, the targeting of civil society, obstruction of opposition parties, systematic voter intimidation, and lack of public confidence and trust in institutions."
https://www.iri.org/news/iri-releases-final-report-on-georgias-parliamentary-elections/
In Georgia, President Salome Zourabichvilli has just given an address from her office which is the same as the one she tried to give to protestors last night before the ruling Georgian Dream party jammed her microphone.
She stated that the country has two options: either Ivanishvili and the regime compromise on new elections now before December 29 (the sham inauguration of the new puppet President), or the all-encompassing crisis deepens and the regime collapses.
"Trump should judge Georgian Dream for what it is. A group of corrupt thugs who want to smash Georgia’s constitution and people into obedience in order that they might better enrich themselves and better serve American adversaries in Moscow and Beijing."
The Georgian Dream government in Tbilisi, Georgia, should face President-elect Donald Trump's sanctions.
In Georgia, the ruling party are absolutely counting on Trump to turn a blind eye to their 'democratic backsliding' and their plan to sell most of Georgia to Russia, Iran and China. I think their plan is hinging on Trump not realising that Georgia can mean a country as well as a state.
Meanwhile, on Fox News...
"The level of the authorities’ violence against largely peaceful protesters is shocking, blatantly retaliatory, and violates Georgia’s domestic laws and international norms."
"The scale of the police ill-treatment of protesters and the failure of Georgian authorities to hold them accountable for it indicates they either authorized or condoned the violence.”
Hugh Williamson,
Human Rights Watch.
#GeorgiaProtests
#TerrorInGeorgia
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/12/23/georgia-brutal-police-violence-against-protesters
"President Salome Zourabichvili is the voice of European Georgia. For many, she is the last legitimate power."
Professor Kornely Kakachia,
Georgian Institute of Politics.
U.S. Sanctions Georgian Dream Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili.
"Ivanishvili is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the United States or abroad, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation."
https://www.state.gov/sanctioning-georgian-dream-founder-bidzina-ivanishvili/
If there is one person in Georgia who deserves to be sanctioned, it's Georgian Dream chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili. He's the Russian backed billionaire puppet master behind the whole show.
And the U.S. have just sanctioned him. Yes!
"The U.S. is sanctioning Bidzina Grigoris Dze Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of Georgian Dream. His actions have enabled human rights abuses and undermined the democratic and European future of the Georgian people for the benefit of the Russian Federation."
Matthew Miller,
U.S. State Department Spokesperson.
Protest.24 is a Georgian organisation that has been trying to keep tabs on the amount of anti government protests in Georgia.
I say they are trying because it's impossible to keep tabs on all the protests happening across Georgia. They have been happening for over 30 days in over 40 towns and cities.
The Georgia Protests are massive.
This astonishing graphic just shows the amount of protests that have happened in Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia.
There have been 178 anti governent protests in the last couple of weeks or so.
178 protests. And that's just the capital.
Happening across Georgia right now is a human chain forming in protest against the government and in solidarity with the only legitimate President of Georgia Salome Zourabchivili, whose official term ends today. She has stated she will be staying in office until new legitimate elections is held
This is the mountaineers section of the chain.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has just joined the human chain of unity in Tbilisi, Georgia. Because of course she has.
"A country that has been through war against Terrorist Russia does not apologize."
Huge banner unfurled across a bridge in Tbilisi, Georgia as part of a national chain of unity.
“Fuck that man who first praised Russians.”
Akaki Tsereteli,
19th C Georgian poet.
Banner put up at Metekhi Church, Tbilisi, Georgia as part of human chain of unity, happening across Georgia, right now.
In Georgia today there is a human chain of unity in protest of the illegitimate government. There are hundreds of thousands of people joining hands across Georgia, but it's not just Georgia.
There are dozens of towns and cities across Europe and the world joining in. This is Trafalgar Square in London.
In Georgia, President Salome Zourabichvili has decided to leave her official residence before the contested inauguration of the new president.
“I will be with you. This building was a symbol only as long as a legitimate president was sitting here. I take legitimacy with me. I am taking the flag with me. I am taking the people’s trust with me.”
"Georgian President Zourabichvili made a wise and decisive choice not to remain at her presidential residence, as doing so would have marginalized the process and turned it into a circus. The Georgian people need a president who stands with them, serving as a true conveyor of their messages and pleas to the outside world.
Unlike Mikheil Kavelashvili and other leaders, the President has the privilege of walking among her people, and she is right to embrace that."
Anna Gvarishvili,
"In Georgia, there are two different images here.
There are those who are locked up in the Parliament, afraid, sold out, illegitimate, not recognized by anyone, sanctioned and angry.
We are open, free, joyful, very calm. The truth is with us because we have love for the country, and with us, perhaps more importantly, we have love for each other, and that is why we will win."
Salome Zourabchivili,
President of Georgia.
To understand why the president of Georgia just left the presidential palace of her own accord when she is still the legitimate president is not difficult.
If she had stayed, the illigitimate regime would have come to arrest her and the people would have defended the building and their president to the end.
She could have chosen to do that, but she didn't. Putting people in harms way is not a real presidents style.
Also, now she's President of Georgia, and she's at large.
But they're on the inside of government (literally and figuratively) while you're on the outside.
I fear that the new president being sworn in makes a change very, very unlikely now. So very sad.
She's got one day.
The crisis point is almost here.
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