“Our country’s patron and master is the population, not a certain force from within or abroad,” said Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze.

Kakha Kaladze echoed the April 29 gathering in Tbilisi, saying the entire Georgia stood on Rustaveli Avenue, and these were warm-hearted people who love their country.

According to the Tbilisi Mayor, foreign influence should decrease while people’s influence has to increase in the country.

“I would like to emphasize that our country’s patron and master is the population, not a certain force from within or abroad. When we say that foreign influence should decrease in the country, we mean that all foreign influence, while people’s influence has to increase. This is our attitude, and I would reiterate that our aim is European integration, the European future. We should do that with dignity, protection of sovereignty, statehood and the reduction of foreign influence.

It is the way we see Georgia, the country’s strength, development, strong economy, sovereignty, and statehood. There is no other way to become a worthy member of the family called Europe. Europe also needs worthy members and strong states, and we should take these steps. Nobody will do our work, and this is strengthening our country, our motherland. With this dignity, they will accept us, and we will be a worthy member of the European Union,” he said.