A massive rally took place recently on the streets of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, in support of the country’s membership of the European Union. Thousands of Georgians waved EU and Georgian flags, expressing their desire to join Europe.
The mobilization follows the European Commission’s recommendation to grant Georgia candidate status for membership. The recommendation was enthusiastically welcomed by pro-Western President Salomé Zourabichvili, who called on EU leaders to formalize the decision at the next summit in December.
In a petition delivered at the rally, Georgians highlighted their nation’s aspiration to join the European Union and insisted on their unwavering desire to join Europe. According to them, Georgia’s future can only be fully realized within the EU.
However, despite popular support for EU membership, President Salomé Zourabichvili faces limits on her power and political adversaries. She recently faced an impeachment attempt by Parliament, although she ultimately survived by a slim margin of votes.
Georgia, a Caucasian country that became independent in 1991, hopes to obtain candidate status for membership like Ukraine and Moldova, two other former Soviet republics. These countries launched representations to the EU after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Membership of the EU and NATO is firmly anchored in the Georgian Constitution and enjoys massive public support, with more than 80% of the population in favor of the prospect.
Granting Georgia candidate status would be a historic and significant step in its journey towards closer integration with Europe. This would pave the way for more concrete negotiations and in-depth reforms to meet EU demands.
The final decision will be taken by EU heads of state and government at the December summit. In the meantime, the massive gathering in Tbilisi is a clear sign of Georgians’ attachment to the EU and their hope of joining the big European family. They hope that their determination will be heard and that Georgia will soon be recognized as a candidate for membership of the European Union.