Opposition, civic activists resume protest rally at parliament
Demonstrators plan to continue protest until their demands are met. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Representatives of opposition parties and civic activists have resumed demonstrations in downtown Tbilisi aimed to re-block the parliament of Georgia and prevent legislators enter the building tomorrow.
Having gathered in front of the parliament earlier today they marched around the building in attempt to re-block it. However, police, who were present at parliament since morning, prevented them from doing so.
Demonstrators marched from the Republic Square to Rustaveli Avenue in front of the parliament of Georgia saying "dare to protest". Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
After the peaceful march around the legislative body, politicians and activists returned to the main venue in front of the parliament building and addressed the crowd, calling on them to continue protest until their demands are met.
Several tents have been placed in front of the parliament on Rustaveli Avenue as some of the demonstrators are staying overnight there not to let ruling party MPs attend the plenary session.
Earlier today, the ruling Georgian Dream party announced in response to ongoing electoral turmoil that 2020 parliamentary elections will be conducted in a mixed electoral system and the “topic is closed.”
Protest rallies were initially triggered by the MPs' rejection to approve electoral changes aimed to move the country from the current mixed system to a fully proportional one starting 2020. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The ruling party accepted the transition to a fully proportional electoral system starting 2020 instead of 2024 [as the current state constitution reads] during Tbilisi protests in late June.
However, the ruling party majoritarian MPs refused to vote for the bill proposed by their own party on November 14 that is why the bill was rejected, sparking protests in Tbilisi.
On November 18 police dispersed a rally in front of parliament building as demonstrators blocked the entrances of the legislative body and did not allow MPs in.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has nominated candidates for parliamentary posts after 12 of its MPs left the party in the wake of the rejection of the GD-proposed election bill on November 14.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has responded again to ongoing electoral turmoil and stated that 2020 parliamentary elections will be conducted in a mixed electoral system and the “topic is closed.” However, the party said that it will not nominate its candidates in particular majoritarian districts in the 2020 parliamentary elections and will allow opposition candidates to win the race.
Law enforcers and emergency brigades are present at parliament in central Tbilisi, as last week the opposition announced “a large-scale rally and the blocking of the work of parliament” on November 25 and 26. The leader of the European Georgia opposition party David Bakradze says that rallies will continue until the current state leadership “takes genuine steps to ease the current tension."
The leader of the European Georgia opposition party David Bakradze has announced a “large-scale” rally on Monday, November 25 in front of parliament, adding that demonstrators will ‘peacefully block the entrances’ of the legislative body on November 26.He stated that the opposition “is not happy” about blocking the parliament activities. However, “the current state leadership has left no other way."
Police have dispersed a rally near the parliament building at 5 a.m. earlier today. 28 individuals have been detained while three others have received injuries, the Georgian Interior Ministry reports. Law enforcers used water cannons to open the entrances of the legislative body which were blocked by the opposition and demonstrators protesting the rejection of an election reform bill on November 14.
The BBC, Washington Post and Deutsche Welle have released news on the ongoing Tbilisi protests which were sparked after the rejection of the election reform bill on November 14.BBC has cited campaigners as saying that the current, mixed-electoral system in Georgia favours the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has been in power since 2012.
Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze has urged opposition MPs, who are now protesting the rejection of an election reform bill on the streets, to return to the legislative body and voice their demands in parliament.
NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said it is important that there be dialogue "to move beyond the current impasse”. Appathurai said he felt “encouraged” by reports of an upcoming meeting between the government and the opposition over the issue.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has stated earlier today that the outer area of the Georgian parliament building in central Tbilisi, which is the main location for demonstrators in the country, will be closed for some time for renovation work.