"Choose Europe" - a new movement has been created in Georgia
“Choose Europe” – new movement in Georgia
Nino Sukhishvili, Lana Gogoberidze, Nikoloz Rachveli, and other well-known public figures from various professions have united in the public-political movement “Choose Europe”. It was founded on July 11th in Tbilisi. Representatives of the new movement have already announced that they will conduct a 100-day campaign leading up to the elections.
The campaign will start on July 18th and continue until October 26th.
At a presentation, president of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili emphasized the necessity of a European future for the country and the importance of the parliamentary elections on October 26th.
According to the organizers of the movement, the campaign will span across Georgia and beyond, targeting Georgian diaspora as well. Its goal is to mobilize all pro-European voters to fight for the European future of the country.
“Our unity is open to everyone who supports Georgia’s European perspective. Let’s bring your ideas, unite our efforts, and win together for Georgia’s European future,” said political scientist Khatuna Lagazidze, one of the movement’s organizers.
What did the speakers say?
President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili: “100 days — it’s both a short and a long time for society to express what it wants to say.
“Today, what is happening at the NATO summit, the statements made, and the cessation of aid to our defense forces — this is a very serious threat to the country. There is little time left, 100 days. 100 days — it’s both short and long for society to express what it wants to say. These won’t be ordinary elections, and this isn’t an election campaign; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here as president.
“This is a choice for the destiny of our country, the future of our country. This is a referendum, on one side of which is Georgian society, and on the other, the power that has usurped it. We cannot accept this; here, we need to unite, to fulfill the charter that both sides have signed.
“There will be very little time after the elections to fulfill what is written there. We have very little time to break out of this frozen state, to return to the side of our partners, and to believe that all the doors that are half-closed today will be open to us again. This is an inevitable task for us; we have no other path, no alternative. We are many, we are united, and Georgia will prevail.”
Nino Sukhishvili, head of the Sukhishvili Ensemble: “I hope people will awaken — Europe is our salvation today”
“The road that will lead us to a bright future, the road that our country needs, cannot be deviated from. We have always been a part of Europe, for centuries we have always been oriented towards the civilized world.
Europe today is our salvation, we absolutely have to choose this path. I really hope that the world will listen to us and that our doubtful people will wake up.
I have heard from many people that they want neither Russia nor Europe; they want Georgia. We all want Georgia, but let us seize this rare moment when Georgia has the opportunity to choose one or the other. Today we are at a crossroads and we must choose Europe because it is our future.”
Nikoloz Rachveli, head of the symphony orchestra: “We all know our future — unprecedented actions have proven it.”
“The country that created [the famous church hymn] ‘Thou Art a Vine‘ is not just a part of European civilization; it is one of its founders.
Accordingly, we all recognize our future. This was demonstrated by the truly unprecedented movement led by the youth in our country during the protests against the ‘foreign agents’ law, as well as by the support of the leaders of European civilization for Georgian society.
We saw and felt this support. Now, the movement we are representing is yet another and the most important way for people like me, like us, and everyone else to act in a way that ensures the future of Georgia is what we all desire it to be.”
Lana Gogoberidze, director: “Like on April 9th, today we want to ‘wipe away each other’s tears'”
“For the first time, I felt a true sense of unity on April 9th, before that wall fell, when we stood in the square, when people didn’t falter and stood firm as Soviet tanks approached us. It wasn’t a spirit of resignation; on the contrary, it was a belief that we would prevail. It felt like all of Georgia was singing ‘Let’s give each other tulips, wipe away each other’s tears’ [a song that became a symbol of April 9, 1989, when Soviet troops brutally dispersed a peaceful demonstration in Tbilisi], it was a manifestation of solidarity.
‘Wipe away each other’s tears’ — even today, we have many of those tears, and we still want to dry each other’s tears. […] Then came that feeling that our loneliness had ended when we stood before the Council of Europe, the President of Georgia, the members of the delegation, and our flag slowly and proudly rose between the flags of France and Germany. At that moment, I knew it was all over, all over, we would never be alone again, we were already members of the wonderful unity that is Europe. […]
Today, we once again stand before a choice — frankly, it is such a surprise and such an incredible feeling that we are choosing Europe again, but we choose without hesitation, we will all be together without hesitation. I am glad that we are together now, united, and together we will definitely achieve victory.”
