On December 21, thousands of Georgians marched in Tbilisi, culminating in a massive rally on Rustaveli Avenue. Participants from various regions and university students, including those from the Free University and Agrarian University, brought vibrant energy to the demonstrations. A highlight of the day was the performance of the Khorumi military dance by hundreds of protesters, accompanied by the renowned Georgian folk ensemble Sukhishvili. The dance symbolized national unity and resistance against common threats. According to Visioner, the rally was one of the largest since November 28, with approximately 200,000 people in attendance.
🇬🇪 #Tbilisiprotests #Day24 Thousands of people peacefully protesting by Georgian dance and demanding new free and fair elections! 🗳 We have all seen @osce_odihr very critical final report. Protest is just increasing, getting new shape and dimension! #GeorgiaProtests pic.twitter.com/scuWRwTtxV
— Giorgi Agirbaia (@AgirbaiaGiorgi) December 21, 2024
Meanwhile, Georgian political parties and coalitions issued a joint statement condemning the visit of Council of Europe Secretary-General Alan Berse to Georgia from December 18-20. They described his visit as occurring during a systemic political crisis marked by election fraud, the collapse of democratic institutions, and sabotage of Georgia’s European aspirations by the Georgian Dream government. The statement criticized Berse’s remarks for exacerbating the crisis and legitimizing repression, calling on the Council of Europe to review the appropriateness of his actions.
President Salome Zurabishvili reiterated her demand for urgent new elections following a meeting with civil society and opposition representatives. She emphasized that the OSCE/ODIHR’s final report on the elections detailed significant violations that undermined the results and eroded public trust. She declared that the only viable solution to the crisis is to call new elections immediately, adding that history offers no other path when trust in elections and government is completely lost.
Hundreds join hands to pass on Rustaveli avenue in "Khorumi" – a folklore-inspired martial dance. #TbilisiProtests #Day24 📹 Nini Gabrichidze/Civil.ge pic.twitter.com/EdAtyEcuMS
— Civil.ge (@CivilGe) December 21, 2024
Zurabishvili announced plans to exert all possible internal and external pressure to compel Bidzina Ivanishvili to agree to new elections. She accused Georgian Dream of accelerating legislative changes to transform Georgia into a “Russian regime” and vowed to prevent such actions. The President concluded by expressing her readiness to meet Ivanishvili and reiterated her commitment to joining protesters in front of Parliament, stating, “New elections must be called, and they must be called immediately.”
