The President of the European Parliament strongly condemned the repression of opposition and the use of force against peaceful protesters in Georgia, warning that these actions threaten the country’s European future. Calling for decisive measures, including sanctions against those responsible, the European Parliament extended an invitation to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili to address the situation directly. On December 18, Zurabishvili delivered a powerful speech, drawing alarming comparisons between current events in Georgia and the Soviet occupation of 1921, as she outlined the struggle for freedom and democracy facing her country.
“This is a pivotal moment. At times, it feels like we’re reliving 1921. This is why the Georgian people are showing such courage in the face of what they see as the theft of their freedom, their future, and their independence,” Zurabishvili said.
She discussed the 21 days of protests sweeping across Georgia, which began after the introduction of a controversial Russian law in 2023. “Large-scale protests in Georgia have never been about social issues. The only time people take to the streets is when they face an existential threat. This is a peaceful civil disobedience movement demanding two things: give us back the votes stolen in the election, and give us back our European future. This is not a revolutionary movement; this is a demand for new elections,” she explained.
Zurabishvili also dismissed the narrative of a civil confrontation, stating, “There are not two sides in Georgia: on one side are the people, on the other is the repressive apparatus of a single party.”
She noted that while the ruling Georgian Dream party increasingly aligns with Russia, it still feigns a European path, despite the fact that over 80% of Georgians support EU membership. Zurabishvili admitted she had not initially recognized the shift toward Russia, which began with the 2019 Gavrilov incident and accelerated after the 2024 elections. “The creation of a Russian state happens gradually. All institutions are controlled by one party,” she said.
Zurabishvili condemned the election fraud that began long before Election Day, highlighting the Russian-style propaganda carried out by Georgian Dream, as well as the absence of police presence during the elections and the violence in certain districts. “I saw the violence firsthand. When I called the Minister of Internal Affairs, I got no response—neither on my mobile nor through the government network. There are no courts to address violations,” she said.
She also emphasized two key violations: the exclusion of over a million members of the Georgian diaspora from voting, and the breach of vote secrecy. “Georgia is now under the total control of a single-party regime, with only the opposition media, NGOs, and the presidency remaining outside of this control,” Zurabishvili said.
She condemned the repressive legislative amendments passed by Georgian Dream and called for Western intervention. “This is about Europe’s credibility. Europe cannot allow a country that has just received candidate status to violate fundamental democratic principles. It is also a matter of Europe’s strategic interests. Georgia has always been a bulwark for the West, and Russia understands that whoever controls Tbilisi controls the Caucasus,” she stated.
If Georgia falls under Russian control, she warned, the consequences would be severe. “This affects the security of the Black Sea, the connection to Central and Southeast Asia, and Armenia’s European future. There is much more at stake than just Georgia’s democracy,” she said.
Zurabishvili emphasized that Russia is testing a cheaper form of intervention in Georgia. Addressing the European Parliament, she urged urgent action against Georgian Dream. “Georgians have been fighting tirelessly while Europe has been slow to act. With European flags all but banned in Tbilisi, Georgians are still waiting for decisive measures from Brussels and Washington. We need political support. Georgians need to know they are not alone, that Europe stands with them,” she concluded.
French MEP Valérie Hayer afterwards told media: “President Zurabishvili gave Europe a staggering tale of what is happening in Georgia. It should make the blood of every European run cold. And it is not only about Georgia. It is also about Europe. Georgians need new, free and fair elections. There is no other way around it.”
The European Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius noted: “I listened very attentively to Georgian President Zurabishvili‘s testimony during the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg. We stand firmly by the Georgian people and their European aspirations for the future of their country.”
By Team GT
