March in Defense of Visa-Free Travel with EU Held in Tbilisi on 290th Day of Protests

Supporters of European integration gathered for a march organized by the opposition calling for the visa-free regime with the European Union to be prevented from being abolished. The protesters included Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili. The marchers ended at the Georgian parliament and blocked Rustaveli Avenue on the 290th day of protests.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, supporters of Georgia's European integration announced a march in defense of the visa-free regime scheduled for September 13. The Georgian Dream refused to implement four recommendations from the European Union - to release political prisoners, stop repression, repeal repressive laws, and soften the political climate, which were the conditions for maintaining the visa-free regime, the opposition points out.

A rally is being held in Tbilisi calling for the protection of the visa-free regime with the European Union. Protesters gathered near the first building of Tbilisi State University. From there they headed to the Georgian parliament, stopping along the way at the election headquarters of Mayor Kakha Kaladze, the agency "Georgian News" reported.

The rally was organized by eight opposition parties that are boycotting the local elections on October 4. The slogan they proposed was: "No to the Russian regime - defend the visa-free regime, defend independence."

The participants in the action are confident that the final decision on the visa-free regime will depend on the fate of political prisoners. They call for the immediate release of all government critics.

"Georgia is on the verge of suspending the visa-free regime with the European Union. We, citizens of Georgia, are losing the most important benefit, the country is weakening and is being held hostage by Russia along with our families. Only the Russian regime of Ivanishvili is to blame for all this, which is doing everything to stop the visa-free regime, to destroy Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic future," Tbilisi Life quotes the announcement of the action.

The march, which took place on the 290th day of protests, was attended by the fifth President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili and the leader of the Droa party Elene Khoshtaria. Family members of prisoners of conscience joined the march, Publika reports.

Recall that earlier, eight opposition parties 1announced a boycott of the municipal elections scheduled for October 4. In July, President Mikheil Kavelashvili said he was ready to pardon opposition leaders convicted of failing to appear at parliamentary commission meetings in exchange for their participation in municipal elections. Following this, the Lelo - Strong Georgia coalition renounced its boycott of the elections.

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