Rally on Rustaveli Avenue ends for now, demonstrators march to ruling party headquarters
A young participant is seen with a shirt bearing a message condemning the presence of Russian troops in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and their erecting of barbed wire administrative boundaries separating Georgian-controlled territory from the two regions. Photo: Nino Alavidez/Agenda.ge
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The peaceful demonstration in front of the parliament of Georgia that followed a Russian State Duma MP speaking from the Georgian parliament speaker's chair on June 20, has resumed at 7 p.m. today.
Composed largely of young demonstrators, the crowds are now marching on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi in a sign of a peaceful protest.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Their demands remain unchanged and include:
- the resignation of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia;
- the release of people detained yesterday;
- holding of snap parliamentary elections with proportional electoral system
They will gather again at 7 p.m. every next day until their demands are fulfilled.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
June 22 rallies again feature much less participation of political leaders of the opposition, and more emphasis from common citizens and youth.
However, after a long-day negotiations the civilians gave opportunity to some of the opposition leaders to shortly express their views, but to avoid political manipulations.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has called on demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament on the third consecutive day not to exceed the legal framework of the freedom of expression and to maintain public order.
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to ban flights to Georgia amid the protest rallies in Tbilisi following a Russian delegation’s recent visit to Georgia has caused even wider public solidarity among the local population against the Russian occupation.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze and Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani have held a meeting with foreign ambassadors this evening. The foreign diplomats have urged political parties to rule out violence.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has responded to unrest that started on June 20 and stated that unrest and confrontations in the country affect each citizen of Georgia and benefits enemy.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry announced today that the state institutions are fully ensuring public order and safety in the country amid the recent protest rallies in Georgia. It also said, the international community, including the OSCE, has been informed on the steps that the state has taken for ensuring the safety during the protest rallies in front of the parliament of Georgia in Tbilisi and throughout the country.
Georgian nationals living abroad have held several rallies in solidarity with the Tbilisi protests of the June 20 events. Protestors are holding banners that read ‘20% of Georgia is occupied by Russia’, ‘Russia is an occupier’ and other words critical of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Lithuania is one of the first countries that has joined a new campaign supporting the Georgia’s tourism industry by calling on more of their citizens to visit the country. Ambassador of Lithuania to Georgia Giedrius Poudziunas believes Georgia is “a wonderful environment” for adventure.