TBILISI, May 27 – Georgia’s opposition used Independence Day to launch a new anti-government campaign, but Tuesday’s rally failed to show broad popular support.
Supporters of the Opposition Alliance began gathering outside the first building of Tbilisi State University at 7pm on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the second half of Georgia’s national day events.
In recent years, it has been common that the government holds its official May 26 ceremonies, while opposition groups stay away and mark the national holiday with their own rally.
About 40 minutes after the start of the rally, the crowd marched toward parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, carrying flags and posters, including an image of jailed former president Mikheil Saakashvili. Protesters chanted: “Freedom for the regime’s prisoners!”
Former president Salome Zourabichvili also joined the rally. She told journalists that May 26 belongs to everyone who believes Georgia’s independence matters.
“I want to tell everyone that today is the day of all of us, the day of our country’s historic independence, and everyone who thinks independence is important should come out to the march,” Zourabichvili said.
According to Rezonansi, police blocked the parliament entrance and later reinforced the entrances with additional metal barriers. There was also a dispute before the march over rally equipment. Police did not initially allow the Opposition Alliance to bring in structures needed for a stage on Rustaveli Avenue. Opposition leaders argued with Goga Memanishvili, head of the Tbilisi main division of the patrol police.
Police said the opposition’s corrected application reached the Interior Ministry only one day before the rally, while the ministry has a five-day period to review such requests. Nika Gvaramia later claimed police had taken a vehicle loaded with equipment. Rezonansi reported that opposition representatives later managed to bring the equipment needed for the rally near parliament.
The rally had been announced in March. Organizers said they wanted to mobilize society and increase political pressure on the government. The alliance had also planned to begin outreach in the regions from May 10, but Rezonansi reported that this did not take place.
At the rally, Giga Lemonjava announced fundraising for families of people the opposition describes as political prisoners. He said supporters could donate through a QR code.
“Solidarity and support for each other is the only way that will make us win,” Lemonjava said.
Levan Tsutskiridze of Freedom Square urged citizens to become more politically active and strengthen the parties they trust. He said there is already a public consensus that Georgia needs major change, but also that people want renewal and new faces. Tsutskiridze was seen last week in Prague, meeting with Maia Sandu, the Moldovan president.
Tengo Tevzadze focused on emigration and political exclusion, asking whether elections could be fair without emigrants and opposition figures. He named Nika Melia, Elene Khoshtaria, “Misha” (Mikheil Saakashvili), Levan, Mamuka Khazaradze and Giorgi Gakharia. He accused Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of Georgian Dream, of being the main culprit behind people leaving the country.
“Long live Georgia without Bidzina Ivanishvili! We will bring down this regime!” Tevzadze said.
Giorgi Vashadze said the rally marked the start of the second phase of national mobilization. He said the main message would be: “Georgia deserves better.” He acknowledged public skepticism toward the process, but asked people to trust each other and the opposition.
Gvaramia said this new campaign would continue across Georgia and end with new democratic elections. He also urged participants to make one-minute Facebook live videos explaining what they want from the opposition and how they see the coming days, weeks and months.
Analysts quoted by Rezonansi gave mixed assessments of the rally. Petre Mamradze called it “a complete fiasco,” saying too few people had gathered and that the opposition mainly needed to prove it still existed. He argued that the rally looked like “a rally for the sake of a rally.”
Paata Zakareishvili, a former state minister and conflict expert, said he doubted a long process would begin, but did not rule it out. He said the number of people was not the main issue at this stage. “The main thing is how this will continue, what form it will take,” Zakareishvili said.
The separate opposition rally during the national holiday follows a pattern from previous years where the ruling team has its formal festivities earlier in the day, while the opposition supporters has a separate anti-government event in the evening.
The same pattern was common during the previous regime of United National Movement, but today, roles are largely reversed, with the former president and UNM leader Mikheil Saakashvili behind bars serving several criminal sentences.
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