Several hundred people gathered in Tbilisi in front of the parliament building on March 1 for the sixth day of protests in the Georgian capital in support of Ukraine.
The protesters used the rally to voice several political demands as they expressed their opposition to the Georgian government, which they say has not adequately supported Ukraine in its fight against invading Russian forces.
Demonstrations in support of Ukraine have taken place in Tbilisi and other Georgian cities since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, but so far they have not been political. The rally on March 1 was the first in which an opposition leader took the stage.
The rally demanded the resignation of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his government, active steps to support Ukraine, and the backing of an official request for EU membership.
“First, Irakli Garibashvili must leave…second, we must move to concrete and effective steps to help Ukraine,” Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the Droa party, said at the rally.
“Our third demand is that immediately after their departure (the Georgian government), Georgia should apply for membership in the European Union,” Khoshtaria said.
The protesters said they felt shame after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recalled Ukraine’s ambassador to Georgia because Georgian officials created “obstacles" for volunteers who want to help Ukraine and for "holding an immoral position regarding sanctions” against Russia.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week, Garibashvili said Tbilisi did not plan to join Western sanctions against Russia.
On February 28, Georgian authorities did not allow a Ukrainian plane that was supposed to shuttle 30 Georgian volunteers to Kyiv to land at Tbilisi's airport.