Georgia's fifth President announces ‘broad-based committee’ to organise Independence Day events

Georgia’s fifth President, Salome Zourabichvili, on Monday announced the formation of a “broad-based organizing committee” to prepare for events marking 26 May, Georgia's Independence Day.

In a statement shared on social media, Zourabichvili said the committee will include representatives from across Georgian society, aiming to reflect the country’s diverse civic and political landscape.

"The May 26 Organizing Committee will be formed from representatives of various sectors of society, which will include public movements, activists participating in the protest [against halted EU integration], students, public officials, family members of political prisoners [arrested during ongoing protests], representatives of the cultural sphere, the business sector, political parties, and the 'Resistance Platform'," she wrote.

The announcement comes amid heightened political tensions and ongoing public demonstrations sparked by the Georgian Dream Government's decision late last year to delay the country’s EU integration until 2028.