As November 23 marks the 21st anniversary of the Rose Revolution in Georgia, Tina Bokuchava, leader of the opposition party United National Movement, reflected on this historic day, underscoring its significance for Georgia’s ongoing struggle for democracy and European integration. She emphasized that the revolution laid the foundation for a modern Georgian state and instilled in the country’s citizens a belief that they could aspire to freedom, dignity, and a European future.
However, Bokuchava lamented that the ideals of the Rose Revolution are under threat today. She described former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s imprisonment as emblematic of these challenges, calling it a “historic injustice” and a “national shame.” Saakashvili, a central figure in the revolution, is serving a prison sentence for various crimes, that Bokuchava and many opposition figures argue are politically motivated.
Bokuchava criticized President Salome Zourabichvili for not using her constitutional authority to pardon Saakashvili. She highlighted Zourabichvili’s acknowledgment that Georgia’s institutions are heavily influenced by Russian interests, questioning why the president would not release Saakashvili, whom she described as a symbol of Georgia’s European aspirations.
’’I believe that we will bring the idea of the Rose Revolution – a successful, European Georgian state – to completion, despite all obstacles, and we will never return to the darkness of Russia,” she wrote.
Bokuchava concluded with a commitment to carry forward the revolution’s ideals, vowing that Georgia would never return to the “darkness” of its past. On this day of reflection and hope, she called for unity and resilience in the face of ongoing challenges, declaring, “Freedom for Saakashvili! Freedom for Georgia!”
