Demonstrators rally in front of gov’t building in Tbilisi

Demonstrators say that the current state leadership broke its promise by rejecting the election bill last week. Photo: IPN.

Agenda.ge, 21 Nov 2019 - 11:30, Tbilisi,Georgia

Demonstrators who have been protesting the rejection of the election bill since November 14 have gathered in front of the administration building of the government of Georgia in central Tbilisi earlier today, demanding snap parliamentary elections with the use of a fully proportional electoral system, conducted by an interim government.

Protests in Tbilisi were sparked after the ruling Georgian Dream party proposed election bill last week was scrapped, which offered a transition to a fully proportional electoral system starting 2020 instead of 2024.

Police did not allow the opposition to lock the gate of the government administration building during the rally, which stirred a minor unrest. Photo: IPN. 

The ruling party accepted the change earlier in the summer, during June protests in Tbilisi, as it was one of the three demands of protesters to stop rallies.

40 ruling party MPs did not vote for the bill on November 14, leading to its rejection and repeated rallies.

The government dispersed a rally on November 18 with the use of water cannons as demonstrators blocked the entrances of the parliament building, preventing MPs from entering the building.

The opposition has announced that the parliament will be blocked again on November 26, “following a large-scale rally on November 25.”