The Time for Change
"It's not just that I mistrust this government; it's gone beyond that; I simply don't believe them anymore."
That is what Lika told me when I met her protesting outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. As an artist, she usually channels her thoughts, emotions, and dreams for the future through the brushstrokes of her paintbrush on canvas. But as a Georgian fearing the loss of freedom in her country, she has felt compelled to express her emotions more directly, taking to the streets to join tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters to stand up for her beliefs.
In recent months, those streets have become the backdrop to some of the most significant protests the country has ever seen following the passing of a controversial law requiring organisations with over 20% foreign funding to register as agents of foreign influence. While the law appears benign on the face of it, many believe it echoes tactics used by neighbouring Russia—who they fear is increasingly exerting influence over Georgia—to stifle free expression and control civil society by preventing any international oversight of an increasingly authoritarian government. The violent suppression of the protests by that government has done little to dissuade this belief.
Disillusionment with the government is particularly palpable among young Georgians who speak English. "We can read the foreign press," Lika explained. "We aren't trapped by this government's propaganda like older generations."
Lika isn't a lone voice of protest. I met Georgians up and down the nation who don't believe what their government tells them anymore. They have taken to the streets in cities and towns nationwide to demand transparency, accountability, and, above all, freedom. Their voices are loud, their resolve unwavering, and their message is clear: the time for change is now.
