Georgian opposition members have asked Western countries for support.

The opposition Coalition for Change called on the United States and European countries to abandon cooperation with the Georgian government, impose sanctions against the ruling party's leadership, and recognize the opposition as representatives of the Georgian people.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, on November 4, the European Commission stated that Georgia had made no progress toward joining the European Union and that its candidate status remained only nominal.

The Coalition for Change, all of whose leaders are in prison, called on the legislative and executive authorities of the United States, Great Britain, and the European Union to impose sanctions on members of the Georgian Dream government and to renounce any cooperation with it, and to recognize the opposition as the legitimate representative of the Georgian people, Novosti-Gruzia reported today.

The authors of the appeal pointed out that Georgian Dream is attempting to ban Georgia's main pro-Western political forces, including the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change.

"We call on our partners – the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States – to take decisive steps in line with established democratic values and international commitments. The time for symbolic actions has passed," the statement reads. The publication contains an excerpt from the appeal.

Key points about the persecution of protesters in Georgia

The authors of the appeal noted that the Georgian authorities have accused "almost all pro-European political leaders" of "sabotage" against the state. "In recent days, the State Security Service, the Prosecutor's Office, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have jointly launched criminal proceedings against nearly all major political leaders and opposition figures," InterPressNews quotes the opposition as saying.

Georgian opposition members have called for personal sanctions against Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, and all those "responsible for political persecution, judicial manipulation, and cooperation with Russia."

They also call for "the passage of the MEGOBARI Act in the US Senate as a powerful signal of support for the pro-European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people," and for a cessation of "all political and financial interaction with the regime" until "political prisoners are released, repression ends, and constitutional order is restored."

Another call is to recognize "Georgia's democratic opposition, civil society, and President Salome Zurabishvili as legitimate representatives of the European will of the Georgian people," the publication states.

As a reminder, in September, Elene Khoshtaria, founder of the Droa party, part of the Coalition for Change, was arrested for damaging Kakha Kaladze's election banner. Three other leaders of the "Coalition" (Akhali Party co-chairs Nika Melia and Nika Gvaramia and Girchi - More Freedom party leader Zurab Japaridze) were previously sentenced to prison for failing to appear in response to summonses from the parliamentary investigative commission.

Meanwhile, participants in daily protests in Georgia since November 28, 2024, have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners. On November 14, the 352nd day of continuous protests, security forces blocked Tabukashvili Street, preventing supporters of European integration from continuing their march to the parliament building.