Tblisi-Kiev: solidarity in action

ita eng
5 December 2013

Georgians take to the streets in solidarity with the Ukrainian demonstrators. The photo story by Onnik Krikorian in Tbilisi

Concerns that Russia has used its economic and political muscle to force countries it considers as under its political and economic influence to join a Customs Union of former Soviet states continue to increase. This is especially true after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision not to sign an Association Agreement with the EU.

Even in Armenia, arguably the most pro-Russian of Moscow’s former satellites, hundreds protested a 2 December official visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the country. At stake, demonstrators believed, wasn’t just Armenia’s future integration with Europe, but also what little independence of the country remains.

In neighbouring Georgia, the situation was slightly different. Unlike Armenia and Ukraine, the country had initialed its association agreement in on 29 November in Vilnius. Even so, dozens this week assembled daily outside the country’s former parliament building. Rather than protest, they instead did so as an act of solidarity with protestors in Ukraine.

The action was organised by Otar Karalashvili, a 49-year-old book designer who had met a group of visiting Ukrainian artists and curators the previous week.

“They were desperately trying to reach their friends at home, but communication had broken down, and all the news they got were of some friends beaten up or detained by the police or just missing,” he told Osservatorio. “It was terrible to look at the grim, pale faces of people whom I had seen so happy just a couple of hours before.”

Karalashvili set up a Facebook event to organise daily gatherings. Over 16,000 people were invited, but 2,014 said they would attend. Actual gatherings were far smaller, of course, but were definitely diverse. Ivanna Melay, a Ukrainian singer and TV anchor was also among those who participated, as were two Polish MPs.

“I attended the protests for a simple reason,” said one Georgian at the event, 28-year-old Giorgi Tabagari. “I wanted to somehow express my support of the Ukrainian people. Ukraine and Georgia face the same threat, and many are here because they don't want similar developments in Georgia.”

“We will stand with the Ukrainians as long as is necessary and depending on how events develop there,” says Karalashvili. “It is important that they don’t feel abandoned. They are facing a very dark force that is threatening to destroy all hopes for building a free, joyful, and decent life.”

Sunday
The first event in solidarity with Ukrainian protestors was held on Sunday 1 December outside the former parliament building on Tbilisi’s main Rustaveli Avenue. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Blue and yellow
Dozens of Georgians, young and old, participated. Asked to wear blue and yellow to match the Ukrainian flag, those that didn’t had it painted on their faces. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Ivanna Melay
Among those at the solidarity actions was Ivanna Melay, a Ukrainian singer. Ironically, according to the biography on her official web site, Melay was used in Yanukovich’s 2009 presidential election campaign. Four years on, the 26-year-old singer says she is outraged by police violence against protestors in Kiev. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
I just could not stay at home
Otar Karalashvili, the Georgian responsible for organising the solidarity action on Facebook. “I did not expect more than maybe 40 or 50 people to join me, but I did not really care,” he says. I just could not stay at home, I had to do something.” © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Early evening
On Monday 2 December, the solidarity action was held early evening. Despite colder weather, the number of those assembled outside the former parliament building was noticeably larger albeit still small. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Also the Poles
What the action lacked in terms of numbers it made up for in other ways. Polish Sejm MPs Malgorzata Gosiewska and Michal Szczerba also joined the solidarity action. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Postponed
Giorgi Tabagari, Coordinator of the European Alumni Association of Georgia, holds an EU flag. “Ukraine is an important country in Eastern partnership, and it's unfortunate that temporarily its agreement with the EU is postponed,” he says. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Common issues
With it’s own existing disagreements with the Russian government, signs at the solidarity action were not too dissimilar to those held at other demonstrations singling out Moscow as applying undue pressure on countries formerly in its orbit. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Flags
A Georgian man wears his country’s flag while holding those of the European Union and Ukraine on Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Avenue. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
Usa
One old man present, however, wore the U.S. flag, as much indicative of Georgia’s pro-Western orientation in general, especially since the November 2003 Rose Revolution. © Onnik Krikorian 2013
The voice
Ukrainian singer Ivanna Melay sings to lift spirits at the solidarity action. Behind her is the Georgian flag. © Onnik Krikorian 2013