Thousands rally in Tbilisi to demand Georgian Prime Minister's resignation

Protesters are demanding that Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili step down after refusing to join the West's sanctions against Russia

A rally involving thousands of Georgians took place in front of the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi on Tuesday, with protesters demanding that Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili step down after refusing to join the West's sanctions against Russia, as broadcast on Georgian television.

The Rustaveli Avenue adjacent to the parliament building was blocked. Opposition figures, NGO members, and ordinary people gave speeches to the protesters following Garibashvili's unwillingness to join new sanctions against Russia over its military operation in Ukraine.

"Our first demand is for Garibashvili and his government to leave. He brought disgrace on Georgia, our history and our future; he must go, he must no longer represent our decent people. We must move to actions and concrete steps to help Ukraine and show solidarity with them. It is necessary to close the sky for Russia, and open the sky for Ukraine," Elene Khoshtaria, a Georgian lawmaker and the leader of the opposition Droa party, said.

Another requirement of the demonstrators is to apply for Georgia's membership in the European Union after the government resigns, according to Khoshtaria.

Last Friday, Garibashvili said that his country will not join financial and economic sanctions against Russia, as it will damage national interests and interests of the Georgian people. Ukraine responded by recalling its ambassador from Tbilisi on Tuesday.

Last Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics in countering the aggression of Ukrainian troops.

In response, the United States, the United Kingdom, members of the European Union, and some other countries imposed comprehensive sanctions against Russia. Some closed their airspace to all Russian flights, sanctioned a number of Russian banks and officials. They are also seeking to disconnect Russia from SWIFT, and the international payment system confirmed on Tuesday that it will obey the law on sanctions once it gets the legal order.