Georgian president announces preparation of EU membership referendum

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has announced the preparation of a referendum on the European Union membership in the country.

She said this in her address to protesters after a parliamentary session at which the veto of the law on foreign agents was overridden, News.Az reports citing TASS.

Zourabichvili called on protesters opposed to the initiative to prepare for a referendum on the topic of the European future.

"We must prepare a real referendum. This energy that is in you today should be spent on collecting signatures and bringing them to me. I will sign the order for the referendum - do we want a European future or Russian slavery," the president said

According to Georgia's law "On Referendum", the referendum is held on the entire territory of the republic, the president is authorised to announce it if the government, parliament or at least 200,000 citizens demand it. The President's order to hold a referendum needs the Prime Minister's countersignature.

News.Az