Interior Ministry to ensure public order, freedom of expression at today’s protest rallies
The ministry also said that any violation of the law, including an attempt to storm or block an administrative body, will be resolved by the police within the framework of the law. Photo: Dato Koridze/Radio Liberty
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The Georgian Interior Ministry announced that police will ensure safety and public order at the protest rallies in downtown Tbilisi today, as well as the freedom of expression of demonstrators.
At the same time, the ministry reminded the demonstrators it is “forbidden to block the entrances and activities of the legislative body [parliament]”.
Interior Ministry as a body responsible for public order, calls on every citizen, organizer of the rally and its participants, to protect public order and obey to the legal demands of police”, the ministry announced ahead of the protest rallies.
The ministry also said that any violation of the law, including an attempt to storm or block an administrative body, will be resolved by the police within the framework of the law.
It also said that the police have been mobilised to ensure citizens’ safety and their freedom of expression during the demonstrations, as well as to ensure that the state institutions continue working unhindered.
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 will gather in front of the parliament of Georgia in downtown Tbilisi at 3 p.m., while another part - at nearby Republic Square at 5 p.m.
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 will gather in front of the parliament of Georgia in downtown Tbilisi at 3 p.m., while another part - at nearby Republic Square at 5 p.m.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia spoke of the importance of a proportional electoral system yesterday, saying it would “qualitatively change” the political culture in Georgia. “We should remember that the country will have a proportional system as we have stated it in the constitution starting 2024”, Gakharia stated.
Georgian opposition parties and young civic activists who participated in June’s anti-occupation rallies have set out their main demands after the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party proposed election bill was scrapped on Thursday.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party proposed bill on holding of 2020 parliamentary elections with a fully proportional voting system and a zero threshold has been scrapped as 101 MPs instead of mandatory 113 voted for it. 141 of total 150 MPs have been registered for the vote earlier today. However, 37 abstained from voting and three voted against.
Opposition and civic activists are holding two parallel rallies protesting the parliament’s rejection of an electoral bill aimed at moving from a mixed system to a proportional one.
Participants of a protest rally at Rustaveli Avenue in downtown Tbilisi have blocked the entrances of the parliament of Georgia with tents.
The US Embassy to Georgia and the EU delegation to the county have released a joint statement amid public protests in Tbilisi triggered by the rejection of an election bill, urging for “immediate work to restore trust through a calm and respectful dialogue between the government and all political parties and civil society with a view to finding an acceptable path forward.”
The leader of the European Georgia opposition party Giga Bokeria has stated that he is surprised by the response of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party to current protests in Tbilisi, as the ruling party accused the opposition of staging provocations and stirring unrest.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has called on demonstrators demanding a fully proportional vote for the 2020 elections to stop blocking access to the parliament building. The ministry says that such actions are illegal, and that if the freedom of expression goes beyond the limits set by law, the police will respond appropriately.