The Statement of Citizens Gathered at the “Yes – to Europe” Rally on April 28
28.04.2024
The citizens of Georgia, whose unwavering determination is to establish a democratic system of government, economic freedom, and build a social and rule-of-law state, strongly oppose the alteration of Georgia’s European course and the loss of strategic partners that the adoption of the “Russian law” will result in;
We, the citizens of Georgia, agree that the Parliament of Georgia is not the place to pass anti-constitutional laws. The Parliament is obliged to follow the supreme law – the Constitution of Georgia;
We regard the adoption of the “Russian law” by the Parliament of Georgia as the authorities going beyond the constitutional framework;
The citizens of Georgia will not allow democracy to be replaced by anti-constitutional and authoritarian rule;
Therefore, today, we will march from Republic Square to the Parliament;
Citizens will form a circle around the Parliament of Georgia and tie a chain as a symbol of our unity;
We know that on April 29, to demonstrate illusory support, the authorities will coercively bring our fellow citizens together, most of whom disagree with the adoption of the “Russian law”;
We know that the majority of our citizens standing at the rally organized by the Government on April 29 support our demands: “Yes – to Europe! No – to the “Russian law!”;
The authorities are the target of our demands, not the people; therefore, we will not take a single step to support the enemy’s plan and create a false impression of public confrontation;
We will protest the second committee reading of the “Russian law” on April 29 from 9 a.m., but we are not going to get into a confrontation with our fellow citizens, whom the Government will gather at the Parliament’s building in the evening;
We strongly urge the authorities not to convene a plenary session for the second reading of the law tomorrow, April 29;
If the Parliament schedules the emergency second reading of the “Russian law” at the plenary session tomorrow, April 29, it will be arbitrariness against the Constitution by the authorities, which we will stand up against. We, public groups, call on citizens to stop the unconstitutional law from being adopted;
The authorities must know that during the second reading at the plenary session, whenever they schedule it, we will have a concrete plan and locations where we will call on citizens to gather as to resist this imposed venture to change Georgia’s constitutional order and foreign policy.
Union is strength – long live independent, united, free Georgia!
