On June 24, tens of thousands of Georgians crowded Rustaveli Avenue to advocate for Georgia's European future. Unlike Georgia, the European Council has awarded Ukraine and Moldova candidate status for the European Union.
According to the organisers of a large gathering taking place in front of the Georgian Parliament, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has been asked to resign within a week as a result of his government's inability to secure Georgia's candidacy for membership in the European Union. "Today, we are fighting for Georgia to join the European Union," claimed the Shame Movement activist. To implement the 12 EU proposals for Georgia to be awarded candidate status, the organisers urge the formation of a technical interim authority based on national consensus.
Shota Dighmelashvili, the leader of the activist organisation and a speaker at the demonstration, stated, "Our administration ignored the will of the Georgian people, 85 percent of the public's will on EU membership." He said that the people of Georgia didn't want the same things as the oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. "We will come in greater numbers than today [June 24] and June 20, and we will show them the fury of the Georgian people like they've never seen it before," the demonstrators declared, "if the government, Bidzina Ivanishvili himself, refuses to listen to the voice of the Georgian people." According to Dighmelashvili, the next gathering will be held on July 3, after which activists will tour the country to encourage more people to attend the protests in the capital.
On June 24, Prime Minister Garibashvili stated that he has no plans to resign. "I have absolutely no intention of leaving; this is absurd." In contrast, it is our responsibility to fulfil all EU requirements that our team agreed to adopt. According to him, the opposition organised pro-EU demonstrations that contradicted the EU's recommendation to Georgia to lessen political division. According to the prime minister, demonstrations were organised to overthrow the government and spark a revolution. "We are completely aware of their aims, aspirations, and plans, which will surely fail like the rest of them," he said.
