“We do not yet have a fully agreed scenario for May 26, but the broad direction in which we are currently thinking is to engage the people who come to the rally in some form of active process,” declared Zurab Japaridze, leader of Girchi-More Freedom party, speaking on PalitraNews.

Zurab Japaridze spoke about why it matters that people turn out for the May 26 rally.

“The opposition’s campaign aims to make people aware that there is a rally on May 26, beginning at 19:00 at Tbilisi State University. A march will proceed to Parliament, where a stage will be set up. We are still deliberating whether there will be choreography or another activity. Our goal is to present something fresh and new, and to actively engage with those who attend. While we haven’t yet finalised a detailed scenario for May 26, our current focus is on involving attendees in some form of active participation as we develop our ideas. Ultimately, we want to steer things towards greater democracy, towards greater civic participation. I cannot see any other way to bring more people out than to allow them to take part in the process, including, to some extent, in decision-making itself.

In my view, we must see one another at the May 26 rally. The principal lie being peddled by the regime’s propaganda is that they are in the majority.
The main purpose of a mass rally is to show that this is certainly not the case.We ourselves need to see one another. I have witnessed, time and again, how energised people are after every large-scale rally. Even when no concrete result follows, there is a sudden return of belief that we are still here, still alive, still fighting. It is also enormously important for those who are in jail. They must see that we have not forgotten them, and that the struggle continues.

It matters for our Western partners as well. It has been a long time since we have had a mass rally, and they too need to see it, even though they are well informed and know full well that there has been a cascade of repressive legislation. People are being detained and fined simply for standing on a pavement. The West knows that we are living through this madness, and yet, for them, seeing so many people still taking to the streets and continuing the fight is of tremendous importance. We are greatly in need of their support,” declared Zurab Japaridze.