Opposition, civic activists announce 'large rally' amid voting of judges in parliament
Georgian parliament is scheduled to vote on a controversial list of judges for the Georgian Supreme Court in the coming days, during the next session of parliament. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Tweet 
Share
The opposition and civil activists , who have been protesting for two weeks due to parliament’s rejection of the ruling party’s proposed election bill, have announced a 'large rally' at parliament when MPs will be scheduled to vote on a 20-person list of candidates for judge in the Georgian Supreme Court.
The opposition, which strongly disapproves of the list, vows the rally [allegedly during the next session of parliament] will lead to the fulfilment of the demonstrators’ demands, namely an early parliamentary election per the German model, which distributes seats in the legislative body based on the votes received in a party-list [proportional] voting.
Everything is going on in line with a plan. With the use of peaceful methods we will force the current state leadership to fulfill our demands,” leader of the European Georgia opposition party Gigi Ugulava said.
The opposition and civic activists were trying to block the entrances of the parliament building earlier today. However, police blocked the streets leading to the legislative body with iron barriers.
Leader of the European Georgia opposition party Giga Bokeria says that the current state leadership will have to fulfil the protesters' demands.Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Later the demonstrators said that parliament will not be blocked today.
We will be better prepared for blocking the parliament work next week and make the government fulfill its promise for proportional elections,” one of the activists, Shota Digmelashvili, said.
Protests were sparked in Tbilisi after the rejection of the ruling Georgian Dream party's proposed election bill on November 14, which offered an early transition to a fully proportional electoral system in 2020 instead of 2024.
40 ruling party MPs refused to vote for the bill, causing its rejection and accusations by the opposition and demonstrators [to the state leadership] of “breaking a promise and cheating people".
Several opposition MPs from the European Georgia party have submitted statements regarding their exit from parliamentary committees amid protests in Tbilisi sparked by the rejection of the election bill on November 14.
“Even though several irresponsible politicians believe that attacking police, breaking into-parliament or blocking the work of the legislative body is their freedom of expression, we, the state government, fully realise the importance of the democratic development of the country and our response to such actions will be fully in line with the law, full of responsibility to our citizens and reasonable,” Gakharia said.
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.
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 diplomatic corps in Georgia has offered to orchestrate a meeting between the ruling party and the opposition which may take place early tomorrow, former Parliament Speaker, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party MP Irakli Kobakhidze has stated. The EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell says that “he is happy” the meeting will take place.
Six demonstrators have been detained by police earlier today for hooliganism and disobedience to law enforcers at a rally near the National Library in central Tbilisi.
About 30 opposition parties, including the parliamentary opposition, have presented an ‘adapted version’ of the German electoral model for Georgia’s 2020 parliamentary elections amid protests in Tbilisi sparked by the rejection of the ruling party proposed bill which offered an early transition to a fully proportional electoral system starting 2020 instead of 2024.
Head of the Georgian Constitutional Court Zaza Tavadze, who is on the 20-person list presented to parliament for a lifetime appointment as a judge on the Georgian Supreme Court, has withdrawn his candidacy, citing controversies related to his higher education.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says it will not vote for several of 20 candidates running for a seat as a Georgian Supreme Court judge, during the voting scheduled on December 12.
Twelve individuals including opposition leaders and members have been detained at parliament earlier today for ‘hooliganism and disobedience to the police’, during a rally opposing a 20-person list of judges nominated for seats on the Georgian Supreme Court. Opposition leaders and members Giorgi Vashadze, Giorgi Tevdoradze, Beso Gazdelian, Guram Chalagashvili, Zurab Kostava, David Kakauridze and Kakhaber Machitidze are among the detainees.
A break has been announced in parliament as an unclear substance has been spilled in the session hall with a “very unpleasant smell”as MPs say, causing a delay in a major vote today on the controversial list of judges for the Georgian Supreme Court. Emergency brigades and law enforcers are present at the scene, as several of the MPs feel ill.
Ten individuals, mostly civic activists, have been detained at parliament in Tbilisi late yesterday for disobedience to the police and hooliganism as police removed tents from the scene and set up New Year's attractions for children. A member of the civic movement Shame Giga Makarashvili says that Zuka Berdzenishvili, Beka Kokaia, Beka Basilaia and Romeo Parulava are among the detainees.
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.