Georgia’s political landscape is roiling with unprecedented upheaval as key pillars of the nation—its banks, telecom companies, and civil institutions—mount a striking rebellion against the ruling regime. A recent government decision to postpone European Union accession talks until 2028 has ignited condemnation across sectors, exposing a growing schism between the state and its people.

Georgia’s two largest financial institutions are leading the charge, the Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank. Both have publicly denounced the decision, framing it as an insult to the nation’s aspirations. The Bank of Georgia issued a statement heavy with symbolic weight: “For the Bank of Georgia, whose name bears a special weight, there is no alternative to the country’s road towards Eurointegration. On the way to Europe — don’t stop!”

Georgia’s telecom giants, Magti and Silknet, echo these sentiments, whose statements underscore a shared commitment to Georgia’s European identity. Silknet’s denunciation of the government’s actions was stark: “Refusing this path equates to rejecting freedom, progress, and the future.” Magti’s earlier statement struck a similarly defiant tone, reinforcing the collective disapproval of the regime’s direction.

The dissent has also reverberated within the corridors of government. Employees at the Foreign Ministry and the country’s central bank have taken a bold stand, protesting the government’s decision and issuing pointed critiques. Several ambassadors have resigned in protest, supported by over 100 Foreign Ministry staff members. Meanwhile, more than 180 central bank employees signed a statement warning that postponing EU negotiations violates Article 78 of the constitution, undermining the country’s historical aspiration to join the European family.

The wave of discontent has also spread to municipal governments. In Tbilisi and Batumi, roughly 150 city hall employees issued a collective rebuke, declaring the government’s actions inconsistent with the will of the Georgian people, as enshrined in the constitution.

President Salome Zourabichvili, who has emerged as the most prominent voice of opposition, went further. She declared herself Georgia’s sole legitimate authority, pledging to lead until new parliamentary elections establish a government aligned with the people’s will. Zourabichvili has repeatedly claimed that the October parliamentary elections were marred by fraud. Her dramatic appearance at a central Tbilisi protest—where she attempted to engage security forces and placed herself between riot police and demonstrators—captured the high stakes of this political drama.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s November 28 announcement sparked this unrest. In it, he accused European politicians of “blackmail” and “offensiveness” while outlining plans to delay EU talks until 2028, with a goal of joining by 2030. His remarks set off a wave of spontaneous protests nationwide, uniting Georgians in their anger and reigniting questions about the nation’s democratic future.

Georgia’s pivot away from EU integration has drawn sharp criticism from domestic and international observers, who see the government’s decision as a rejection of the nation’s hard-fought progress. As protests swell and institutions falter, the question now is whether this moment will mark the beginning of a seismic political shift—or a deepening of the rift between Georgia’s people and its leaders.