Pro-European rally announced in Batumi for August 2

Representatives of Georgia’s civil society and opposition parties have called on citizens to join a pro-European march in Batumi on August 2. The rally will begin at 8:00 PM at the Colonnades in Batumi Central Park.

Organizers say the goal is to demand the return of power to the people, accusing the ruling Georgian Dream party of unlawfully holding onto authority.

"From Batumi, where Georgian citizens have been protesting for 243 days, we say to Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Russian-backed criminal group and its loyal servants: power in Georgia has been usurped," the statement reads. "Over 60 political prisoners are behind bars, and the government has been captured through rigged elections."

The rally’s key demands remain unchanged: the release of political prisoners and the conduct of new, free elections. Organizers stress that until these demands are met, all other political processes, including local elections, lack legitimacy.

"We invite all Batumi residents and visitors to join us on Saturday, August 2 at 8:00 PM at the Batumi central park, as we launch Batumi’s European March," the statement concludes.