New civil movement Choose Europe launched in Tbilisi

The new civil movement Choose Europe was officially launched on Thursday at the Coca-Cola event hall in Tbilisi. 

As stated the movement, co-founded by figures including security expert Khatuna Lagazidze, Tbilisi State University Professor and policy analyst Lela Jejelava, European policy expert Giorgi Rukhadze, University of Georgia professor Lasha Dzebisashvili, and businessman Iva Chkonia, aims to unite Georgians of diverse political views under a shared vision of a European future.

In her opening remarks, Lagazidze proposed creating a strategic dialogue platform with broad public participation to develop a long-term development plan for Georgia. “This strategy should become a basic document for the next governments,” she said “When the choice is so simple – Russia or our children? – Of course, we choose our children. The only choice for our children is Europe. So, let’s choose Europe and win Georgia together.”

Jejelava emphasised the inclusivity of the movement, saying, “we choose Europe, which means the victory of democratic and pro-Western forces in Georgia, which means the victory of the Georgian state. Our movement is open to everyone, regardless of political taste, who thinks like us and who is ready to work hard and fight to save the European future of Georgia.”

President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili also addressed the participants, saying “Let’s choose Europe! I think we have already chosen Europe and have chosen it for a long time. Georgia chooses and has chosen the path of development, the path of freedom, the path of democracy in every major part of its history, and this is the European path, European values, which are, first of all, Georgian values,” said Zourabichvili. She  also criticised the current government for “blocking this path and deviating from the country’s constitution”, urging the public to seize the opportunity to shape the future. “This is the choice of the fate of the country, our future. This is really a referendum, in which the Georgian society is on one side and the government, which has usurped our future, is on the other side. We cannot agree on that.”

The movement presented a manifesto pledging support for the youth protest wave against the controversial foreign influence transparency law earlier this year and encouraging citizens to participate in the upcoming elections. “On October 26, my most valuable opportunity and important obligation as a citizen of Georgia is to support the youth protest wave, to facilitate their participation in the elections and, regardless of any hindering circumstances, to go to the elections and make a European choice,” the manifesto said.

The event featured addresses from Georgian cultural figures, including composer and pianist Nikoloz Rachveli, director Lana Ghoghoberidze, choreographer Nino Sukhishvili, singer Nino Katamadze, and artist Gogi Alexi-Meskhishvili, who all voiced their support for the movement and its goals.