Georgia's Independence Day should unite citizens, opposition leader

Eka Beselia, leader of the opposition party For Justice, has called for national unity ahead of Georgia’s Independence Day on 26 May, urging political factions to set aside their differences and focus on safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.

“This is not the time for presenting different positions,” Beselia said on Thursday. “We are in a political moment that demands unity towards a common goal.”

Beselia emphasized the historical significance of Independence Day, a date that marks Georgia’s declaration of independence from Soviet rule in 1918. She described the day as a “manifesto” for freedom and warned that the values won through past struggles were now under threat.

“May 26 is a day of celebration for the citizens of Georgia,” she said. “It was not established by [Prime Minister Irakli] Kobakhidze or the Georgian Dream party. It belongs to the people, and no repressive system can dictate how we commemorate it.”

Opposition groups, in coordination with Georgia’s fifth President, Salome Zourabichvili, are preparing a public event to mark the national holiday. Organizers say the gathering aims to demonstrate solidarity and resistance amid growing concerns over “democratic backsliding and government crackdowns on dissent”, sparked by delayed EU integration. 

“This day should be about uniting free people around a shared purpose,” Beselia added. “We inherited independence through struggle, and it is our duty to pass it on to the next generation in the same spirit.”