415 Days of Choice: What Europe, Independence, and Protest Mean to Me as a Georgian
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Foreword: In this article, our Brand Ambassador Nino Gomurashvili from Georgia shares her personal insights and perspective on current developments in her home country, particularly in relation to questions of independence and European values. While Georgia lies outside the core geographical focus of the German-Baltic Future Foundation, we express our solidarity with the Georgian people and our appreciation for the resilience, civic engagement, and commitment to European values demonstrated by many in Georgian society.
Europe is not a destination for Georgians.
It is a decision - one that has been made again and again, even when the cost was high.
For Georgians, Europe has never been just a political ambition or a foreign policy slogan. It has been closely tied to our understanding of independence, statehood, and the right to decide our own future.
Georgia’s modern history shows a clear pattern: whenever independence has been threatened, public resistance has followed. From the struggle to preserve the First Democratic Republic in 1918–1921, to the dissident movements during the Soviet period, to the mass protests of the late 1980s that led to the restoration of independence in 1991, protest has been one of the main tools through which Georgians have defended sovereignty. (BBC , 2025)
The tragic events of April 9, 1989, when peaceful demonstrators demanding independence were violently dispersed, became a turning point. That day is remembered not only as a national tragedy, but as proof that Georgian independence was not granted — it was earned through sacrifice. Two years later, Georgia declared independence, reaffirming its historical aspiration to belong to the European family of free nations. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty , 2014)
Since then, public protest has remained a defining feature of Georgian political life. From the Rose Revolution to more recent demonstrations, society has repeatedly taken to the streets when it believed the country’s democratic course was at risk. This is not accidental. Protest in Georgia is not instability; it is a mechanism of self-defense.
The ongoing protests, which have now lasted more than 415 days, must be understood within this historical context. They are not an isolated reaction to a single policy or decision. (civil Georgia , 2026) They reflect a deeper concern about independence, democratic backsliding, and the fear of drifting away from the European path that Georgia has chosen repeatedly since regaining sovereignty.
These demonstrations are not driven by a single law or isolated political decision. They reflect deeper concerns about democratic erosion, weakening institutions, and the possibility of drifting away from the European path that Georgia has formally and socially chosen since independence. The length of the protest itself sends a message: the issue is structural, not temporary.
What makes the 415-day protest significant is not its size alone, but its persistence. People return to the streets despite fatigue, disappointment, and uncertainty. Students, professionals, parents, and pensioners participate not because they expect immediate results, but because withdrawal would signal acceptance. In Georgian political culture, continued presence is a way of saying: this matters too much to abandon. (georgia today , 2025)
Historically, long protests in Georgia have appeared when society sensed a gap between official decisions and public values. The current protest fits this pattern. It reflects fear not of instability, but of losing the meaning of independence independence understood not just as sovereignty, but as democratic agency.
Europe, in this sense, represents more than integration. It represents a system where independence is protected by institutions, where power is limited by law, and where citizens have the right — and the responsibility — to hold authority accountable.
As Nino Gomurashvili, I see Europe as inseparable from the idea of independence itself. For me, independence does not mean standing alone; it means freely choosing alliances based on values rather than pressure. It means a state that answers to its citizens, not one that demands silence in exchange for stability.
Today, I watch the ongoing protest, now lasting more than 415 days, and I feel deeply connected to it. This is not a short-lived movement; it is a living, breathing continuation of our history. I am not just observing from the sidelines—I think, feel, and reflect on what this persistence means for me, for my generation, and for the future of Georgia.
Being part of this discussion, witnessing this historic protest, makes me feel the weight of history and the urgency of now. I see young people, students, families, and elders standing together—and I see myself in them. For me, Europe is not perfect, but it is accountable. It allows correction, criticism, and change. That is why standing for Europe is also standing for what Georgia can and should be.
The persistence of protest today shows continuity with Georgia’s past. It signals that independence is not a completed project, but an ongoing process that requires vigilance. Every generation in Georgia has had to defend it in its own way — sometimes through declarations, sometimes through reform, and sometimes by standing in the streets.
Protests and activism come with a price, and for some Georgians, that price is imprisonment. Political prisoners—individuals detained largely for their beliefs, activism, or opposition to those in power—remain a stark reminder of the fragility of democratic freedoms. In Georgia, some of these detainees have spent over 415 days in custody, reflecting both the intensity of state pressure and the persistence of those who dare to challenge it.
These imprisonments are not just legal matters; they are moral and political ones. They highlight the tension between authority and the people, between official narratives and public values. The ongoing protests are not only about policies or government decisions—they are also about demanding justice for those who have been silenced for standing up. Every person behind bars is a living testament to the sacrifices required to safeguard independence, democratic accountability, and the right to dissent.
For me, the existence of political prisoners makes the 415-day protest even more poignant. It is a vivid reminder that independence is not abstract; it is lived, fought for, and sometimes paid for with freedom. Europe, in this sense, is not only a guiding principle but also a benchmark: a system where imprisonment should not be a punishment for conscience, and where citizens can participate without fear of being silenced.
And as history has shown, when that independence feels threatened, Georgian society does what it has always done: it speaks, it stands, and it refuses to forget.
Seeing people stand day after day reminds me that independence is not a finished project. It is something every generation must actively defend. These protests connect my generation to those who stood before us in 1989, in 1991, and in every moment when Georgia refused to accept imposed direction.
For me, Europe is the space where independence remains meaningful. It is where protest is not chaos, but participation; where disagreement is not betrayal, but engagement.
After 415 days, the message is clear. Georgian society has not forgotten its history, and it has not abandoned its choice. When independence feels fragile, people do what they have always done: they stand, they speak, and they refuse to step aside quietly.
Europe, for Georgians, is therefore not a matter of convenience or trend. It is the framework within which independence makes sense in the modern world.
Referenes
Georgians Keep Up Protest Despite Attacks Against Rally Day Before , 2025 https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-demonstration-protesters-elections-georgian-dream/33526076.html
365 days of consecutive protest in Georgia , 2025 - https://oc-media.org/in-photos-365-days-of-consecutive-protest-in-georgia/
Ongoing Civil Protests in Georgia Hope to Create New Political Reality , 2025
Thousands Protest In Georgia One Year After Controversial Elections , 2025
Protesters rally in Georgia for fourth night as opposition grows to freeze on EU talks , 2025
Why Georgia is Europe: a geographical, historical and cultural perspective , 2025
