**Thousands Protest in Tbilisi as Europe Day Celebrations Take Place Across Continent**
On May 9, thousands of people gathered at Europe Square in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, to express their support for European integration and protest against the government’s decision to halt EU accession talks. The protesters’ chants of “Euro-integration! More Georgian Dream sanctions!” echoed through the streets, marking the 163rd day of ongoing anti-regime resistance.
The protests come as the European Union is celebrating Europe Day, a time when Europeans come together to commemorate the Schuman Declaration that laid the foundation for the creation of what would become the EU. However, Georgia was not invited to the EU Gymnich meeting in Warsaw, an informal gathering of foreign ministers from EU member states, which took place on May 7-8.
**EU Reiterates Suspension of High-Level Contacts**
In response to questions about Georgia’s absence at the informal meeting, German Ambassador to Georgia Peter Fischer said that the EU had suspended high-level contacts with the Georgian government until it resolves the current crisis. This decision was taken in June last year, following the disputed elections.
Meanwhile, EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski expressed disappointment that Georgia failed to demonstrate progress or political will since receiving candidate status. He noted that the country’s absence from the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers and candidate countries was a missed opportunity for dialogue.
**Russian Statements on Georgia**
In a separate development, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent congratulatory messages to leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and separately addressed the Georgian people in his message marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. Putin’s statement emphasized the importance of preserving good traditions of friendship and mutual assistance between Russia and Georgia.
However, the de facto leader of Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region, Badra Gunba, took a different tone in an interview with Russian state-controlled media. Gunba stated that dialogue with Tbilisi would only be possible if it “recognizes reality” and signs a non-use of force agreement.
**Incidents and Controversies**
In other news, Giorgi Shinjikashvili, the recently resigned deputy governor of Kvemo Kartli, was implicated in an incident where his father allegedly assaulted a TV journalist. The attack occurred when the TV crew arrived at their residence to cover Shinjikashvili’s resignation.
Additionally, Belarusian activist Dmitry Grinkevich has been denied entry to Georgia, citing human rights defender Raman Kislyak. This case follows a broader pattern of reported entry denials by Georgian authorities targeting activists, journalists, and political figures.
**Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Visits Budapest**
In a related development, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Dream Parliament, is visiting Budapest to participate in the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments (EUSC). During his visit, he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other parliament speakers.
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