All entrances of parliament open to MPs, rally dispersed

Law enforcers have opened all three entrances of the Georgian parliament to MPs after the dispersal of a rally in central Tbilisi with the use of water cannon.

IPN news agency reports that MPs are starting to gather in the parliament building and the ruling Georgian Dream party has plans to hold a meeting which should have been conducted earlier today.

All the tents opened in front of the parliament building by demonstrators have also been removed.

The media reports the detention of about 10 demonstrators during the dispersal and say that several individuals have received injuries.

The leader of the European Georgia opposition party Gigi Ugulava said that the rallies will continue, adding the "dispersal of the peaceful demonstration is a big shame." 

After the dispersal of the rally. Photo: netgazeti. 

The Georgian Interior Ministry used water cannon to disperse the rally in front of parliament in Tbilisi after demonstrators refused to leave the territory and allow MPs in the legislative body.  

• Police give 30 minutes to demonstrators to allow MPs in parliament

The demonstrators, who were protesting the rejection of an election bill, refused to leave the area within 30 minutes, in the time given to them by the Interior Ministry.

Water cannons were used after several-time warnings to demonstrators to leave the territory, as according to the Interior Ministry protesters violated the law on assembly and manifestation through blocking the entrances of parliament starting yesterday.

Before the usage of the water cannons officials of Tbilisi City Hall also urged demonstrators to leave the territory and stop hampering the parliament’s work. 

The demonstrators are accusing the current state leadership of "breaking its promise and cheating people" as the Georgian Dream ruling party accepted the conduct of 2020 parliamentary elections with a fully proportional electoral system in the summer.