Students address ruling party, say ‘ready for dialogue, constructive work’

A total of 35 students from eleven different universities of Georgia have addressed the ruling Georgian Dream party Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili to support the establishment of a state advisory council of youth aimed at strengthening communication between the government and youth.

Calling the recent developments in front of the parliament of Georgia “critical”, the youth said their “justified” protest was a response to “the severe mistake” committed by the government of Georgia. 

They say dialogue between youth and the government “is the only way to avoid escalations and preserve stability in the country.”

If we agree on the necessity to have a state of law, it is absolutely unacceptable to storm state institutions, but it is also unacceptable for the state to use unjustified force against youth”, the letter reads.

The students welcomed the ruling party’s decision for the 2020 parliamentary elections to take place using the proportional system with an electoral threshold of zero, which has been one of the top demands of demonstrators gathered in Tbilisi since June 20.

However, they believe, all of important achievements "can be endangered if the developments of June 20 are not assessed objectively”.

We, as the citizens of Georgia, feel responsible and in this important moment for the country, express our readiness for dialogue and constructive work”, they said.

Peaceful demonstrators will gather on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi for the twelveth consecutive day today, again demanding the resignation of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze was the first to respond to the letter yesterday. 

Welcoming the “constructive approach” of the students towards the current events Bakhtadze said “the future of the country” is in the hands of youth.

By abolishing the election thresholds you, the young people, have an opportunity to enter politics and have more chances to engage in the governance of the country”, PM Bakhtadze wrote on his Facebook page.

He then said that he would welcome meeting with the students on a new youth platform. 

Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge

Tbilisi protests were sparked by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament during the 26th Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, when Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov took the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker to address the audience.

• The rally following the developments in parliament on June 20 was dispersed by police after a part of the demonstrators decided to storm the parliament building, leaving 305 detained and 240 injured.
• The Georgian Dream ruling party says that the “justified and peaceful” protest of people was transformed into violence due to the “provocative and destructive” actions by opposition members.
• Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia explained that were used on June 20 are in line with international standards and none of them were illegal to use at similar demonstrations, but the protesters claim the police used unjustified force and targeted people with bullets used to hunt animals.

Protests in Tbilisi continue as the last demand of demonstrators remains unfulfilled – the resignation of Interior Minister Gakharia for the violent dispersal of the rally.