Georgia marked its 35th Independence Day on Tuesday with a military parade, but the day was defined by a massive pro-European Union rally in Tbilisi. Thousands of protesters, waving Georgian and EU flags, marched through the capital, holding signs reading "We are Europe" and portraits of jailed former president Mikheil Saakashvili.
The rally, organized by an opposition alliance, reflects deep polarization in Georgian society. Critics accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of democratic backsliding and moving the country closer to Moscow. The government denies these claims.
"We've been out in the streets for more than 500 days, and we'll keep coming out as long as it takes to defend Georgia's European future," one protester said.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, in his Independence Day speech, insisted Georgia is "independent and sovereign as never before" and that EU membership remains a steady goal, despite Brussels freezing the accession process.
Opinion polls show more than 80 percent of Georgians support joining the EU, which is enshrined in the country's constitution.