Two protest rallies to be held in Tbilisi today

People have been blocking Rustaveli Avenue for several days now, demanding snap proportional elections conducted by an interim government. Photo: Nastasia Arabuli/Radio Liberty

Agenda.ge, 17 Nov 2019 - 11:56, Tbilisi,Georgia

Opposition and civic activists are holding demonstrations today amid the parliament’s rejection of the electoral bill aimed to move from a mixed electoral system to a proportional one.

Some parliamentary and nonparliamentary opposition parties, including the United National Movement, European Georgia, Labour Party, Democratic Movement-United Georgia, Lelo and Girchi, will join the demonstration in front of the parliament of Georgia in downtown Tbilisi at 3 p.m.

People have been blocking Rustaveli Avenue for several days now, demanding snap proportional elections conducted by an interim government.

Other parliamentary factions, in particular, the Alliance of Patriots, will gather at Republic Square at 5 p.m. demanding the ruling party’s resignation. Later, they will march to the Opera House at Rustaveli Avenue, close to another demonstration venue.

Several ultra-nationalist groups, including businessman Levan Vasadze and the Georgian March plan to join the Alliance of Patriots.

Watch Maestro TV's video from Rustaveli Avenue, where protesters have been staying overnight for several days, after the parliament downvoted the bill:

 

Meanwhile, the United States Embassy to Georgia has alerted the US government personnel “to avoid large crowds and demonstrations and prepare for anticipated traffic delays and sporadic disruptions in that area due to crowds and an additional police presence”.

The ruling party-proposed bill aimed to holding 2020 parliamentary elections fully proportional, was scrapped, as only 101 MPs voted for it instead of mandatory 113 in the 150-member parliament.

All of those 40 MPs who either voted against or abstained were from the ruling party, while all of the opposition legislators voted in favour. After the rejection of the bill, a total of 12 MPs, who had voted in favour, left the ruling party.

However, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and other ruling party members said that the country will have a proportional system "as we have stated it in the constitution​​​​​​​ starting 2024".