One 12 months Later: Tbilisi Protesters Stand In opposition to Shift In direction of Russia

MILES PARKS, HOST:

Final week, protesters in Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia on Russia’s southern border, marked three hundred and sixty five days of nonstop protests. They are saying their authorities is crushing democracy and the hopes of becoming a member of the European Union in favor of nearer ties with Russia, which to today continues to have troops occupying two breakaway areas within the nation. This is Robin Forestier-Walker’s report. And only a warning, this story begins with the sounds of fireworks.

(SOUNDBITE OF FIREWORKS)

ROBIN FORESTIER-WALKER: It’s November 2024, and protesters are dealing with down tear gasoline and water cannons on Tbilisi’s major avenue. They set off fireworks and flash lasers within the route of black-clad riot police.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

IRAKLI KOBAKHIDZE: (Non-English language spoken).

FORESTIER-WALKER: On November 28 final 12 months, the prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, introduced that Georgia would halt European integration for 4 years.

(SOUNDBITE OF WHISTLING)

FORESTIER-WALKER: For the hundreds of Georgians who thronged the streets that night time and for weeks to return, his speech was thought of a goodwill gesture to Russia and an insult to their dream of becoming a member of the European Union. Nodo Latsabidze is a protester.

NODO LATSABIDZE: Our authorities, they’ve, like, Russian mates, and they’re serving to them, like, placing a lot of cash and plenty of energy right here in opposition to us.

FORESTIER-WALKER: This previous 12 months, the federal government has been crushing dissent with beatings and arrests, the jailing of opposition leaders, large fines for protesters and the criminalization of Western-funded NGOs and the media.

(CROSSTALK)

FORESTIER-WALKER: Now it is restructuring the schools, like this one. College students, the spine of the protest motion, are the last word goal, says Giorgi Gvalia, vice-rector of Ilia State College.

GIORGI GVALIA: They discover it most likely very disagreeable that college students, you realize, actually go in opposition to this official – their official narrative. I imagine that they actually use this time period, reform, to hide their underlying motivation that’s to strengthen the state and political management over the schools.

FORESTIER-WALKER: This month, the European Fee, primarily based in Brussels, concluded that Georgia’s democratic backsliding made it a candidate for EU membership in title solely. In response, the federal government accuses the EU of liberal elitism, out of contact with an rising new Europe. Shalva Papuashvili is the speaker of Parliament.

SHALVA PAPUASHVILI: (By means of interpreter) Brussels has strayed from European values. We see them attacking Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the variety of patriotic forces in these nations and others is rising – in Germany and France and elsewhere. The time will come when Brussels must account for all of this. Brussels is anti-European, not us.

FORESTIER-WALKER: European establishments have sided with the protesters. The European Parliament awarded its prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Mzia Amaglobeli, who based two unbiased media retailers. She’s serving a two-year jail sentence for slapping a police officer. Fellow journalist Tamar Rukhadze says Mzia’s an emblem of resistance.

TAMAR RUKHADZE: We have to proceed to do our job as a result of our job is essential and perhaps extra important than ever than earlier than. And we have to hold preventing. And I would say, if Mzia can hold preventing there, behind bars, so can we.

(SOUNDBITE OF WHISTLING)

FORESTIER-WALKER: The protests go on. Some days, small teams converge. On others, massive crowds return to downtown Tbilisi. The protesters are fewer in quantity now, however they are saying they’re going to proceed to make their voices heard regardless of the dangers.

For NPR, I am Robin Forestier-Walker in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.

Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts could differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to right errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its authentic broadcast or publication. The authoritative document of NPR’s programming is the audio document.