Today is „Flag of Georgia“ Day. While people continue to demonstrate against the self-proclaimed government and advocate for the release of all detained protesters—particularly Mzia Amaglobeli, the recently arrested director of the media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti—they are also celebrating their flag as the ultimate symbol of their commitment to a free and European Georgia.
„On 27 December, the U.S. Treasury Department’s main sanctions authority, the Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC), announced that it had sanctioned Bidzina Ivanishvili. It used its most far-reaching sanctions tool – the specifically designated nationals (SDN) – and most significantly, it did so under Executive Order 14024, which targets those working on behalf of Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin.“ Maximilian Hess, founder at Enmetena Advisory and fellow at Foreign Policy Research Institute provides a good analysis on what the sanctions against Ivanishvili mean.
„Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream Party had already made clear to the Georgian people they faced a choice between them and the West with the aforementioned suspension of Georgia’s EU accession efforts. But OFAC’s actions now mean Georgian business must also choose between their country’s dominant billionaire and the West.“
When the news arrived yesterday, it was greeted by the sound of the Star-Spangled Banner ringing out over Rustaveli Avenue.
Now, Europe, can we at least form a ‚coalition of the willing‘, bypassing Russia’s puppets, Orban and Fico, and do something similar – following the example of the Baltic States?
„Within the next few days, until 29 December, European governments will need to take a position in one of the most dramatic confrontations of 2024, in a months-long bitter struggle to preserve a European democracy: Who is the president of Georgia?“ The European Stability Initiative (ESI) is a group of Europeans working towards a Europe „capable of defending its democratic institutions and its human rights standards against illiberal forces, in particular to South-East Europe“.
They have published an analysis of the situation in Georgia, just days before the anticipated showdown over the presidency. The analysis condemns the silence of democratic European governments regarding the stolen elections and the unconstitutional process for selecting a new president.
They also call on these governments to finally step up and confront the Georgian Dream party. Failing to do so, they argue, would mean abandoning Georgian democrats and conceding a significant victory to Russia and Putin.
Meanwhile, yesterday, among several demonstrations, a women’s march took place in Tbilisi to protest against the self-proclaimed government, demanding new and fair elections.
Europe, are you listening?
„What’s happening in Georgia goes beyond politics or any single issue. It’s the feeling of a nation waking up, of people standing together, not just against something, but for something.“ Nodar Rukhadze is a Human Rights activist, journalist and one of the founders of the Shame Movement in Georgia, a group „united by the goal of achieving Euro-Atlantic integration and systemic democratic reforms through non-violent activism“.
In a social media post, Rukhadze provides insight into the deeper meaning of the events unfolding in Georgia: „This isn’t just about elections or an illegitimate government. It’s about reclaiming who we are, both as a country and as individuals who refuse to be silenced.” Read his full statement here.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators once again gathered in Tbilisi, uniting in song, dance, and protest to stand up for the future of their country.
Look at these people. Look at this country.
