Protesters welcome ruling party decision to hold 2020 elections on proportional system, continue rallying
Composed again largely of youth, the demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament of Georgia on the fifth consecutive day. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The demonstrators in front of the parliament of Georgia have welcomed the Georgian Dream ruling party's announcement to conduct the 2020 parliamentary elections on the proportional electoral system alone, which has been one of their top demands.
Monday's peaceful demonstration ended at around 12 a.m. with the protesters, mainly youth, marching around the parliament of Georgia holding hands and singing the national anthem.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Calling everyone to rejoin them every day at 7 p.m. on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi, the organisers say their other demands still need to be fulfilled. These are:
- the resignation of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia
- the release of people detained during the Thursday's clash
- the punishment of police officers who used excessive force
Meanwhile Minister Gakharia requested parliament to allow him speak about the June 20-21 developments and rallies in Tbilisi at the parliament’s plenary session on Tuesday.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The five days of rallies followed initial smaller-sized protests in the noon on June 20, when political opposition and citizens demanded repercussions for the government for letting a Russian delegation to Tbilisi for an international event hosted by Georgia.
Protesters expressed their anger at seeing a Russian State Duma MP speak from the Georgian parliament speaker's chair as Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), two Georgian regions, are occupied by the Russian military.
The European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell said Ambassadors of EU members states welcome the Georgian Dream ruling party’s decision to conduct the 2020 parliamentary elections on the proportional electoral system alone.
Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko has urged citizens of his country to travel to Georgian resorts and counter Russia's efforts to "weaken Georgia economically" following president Vladimir Putin's ban on flights to the country.
Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia has requested parliament in an official letter to allow him to speak about the June 20-21 developments and rallies in Tbilisi at the parliament’s plenary session tomorrow, the Ministry of Internal Affairs says.
The recent address to “friends around the world” has gone viral in online media, calling on the rest of the world to come to Georgia amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent ban on flights with Georgia. Georgians invite travellers from all over the world to come to their country and "experience best wine, tastiest food and unforgettable hospitality provided by some of the warmest hearted people in the world".
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze says that after 2020 parliamentary elections the county may have a coalition government, as, for the first time, the race is likely to take place with the proportional electoral system with a zero threshold.
The United National Movement and the European Georgia opposition have boycotted the plenary session in parliament earlier today, after the Georgian Dream ruling party declined to discuss a resolution text on the dismissal of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, drafted by European Georgia MPs.
Archil Talakvadze, 36, a leader of the Georgian Dream ruling party majority, has been elected a new chairperson of the legislative body after the resignation of Irakli Kobakhidze on June 21.
A member of the United National Movement parliamentary opposition, MP Nika Melia has been charged with organising violence by a group, heading the group and participation in the violence during the June 20-21 rallies in Tbilisi, the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office says.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze says that the “destructive and irresponsible” calls and appeals by the opposition transformed “a peaceful and justified” rally in Tbilisi into unrest on June 20 and the opposition members carry responsibility for that, commenting on recent charges against United National Movement MP Nika Melia.
The Georgian Parliament’s Procedural and Legal Issues Committee has approved the suspension of MP immunity for opposition MP Nika Melia, giving a green light to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to detain the legislator for possible incitement to violence during the June 20 rally in Tbilisi.
The 2019 spring session of the Parliament of Georgia has ended today. The new speaker Archil Talakvadze stated that Georgia will never be ‘a hostage of aggression.’ He said political controversy is absolutely acceptable but it should not affect the country.
United National Movement (UNM) party members Zaza Bibilashvili, Nino Kalandadze and Mariam Gersamia have left the party saying that they are going to continue activity in civil society organization, the Cavchavadze Centre.