Tbilisi City Hall begins renovation of parliament yard, opposition says it’s to hamper protests

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.

The opposition says that the decision aims to prevent protests related to the 2020 election issue, which began in Tbilisi in November 2019.

Kaladze says that the area “is in the utmost need of renovation; the pavement must be replaced, a memorial and fountains should be renovated.”

Once the work is complete, it will be one of the most beautiful locations in the capital,” Kaladze said, stating that the decision to carry out the renovation work was made in “May or June of 2019.”

Kaladze did not say when the work will be completed.

Member of European Georgia opposition party Elene Khoshtaria says that the government is “frightened and they are making inappropriate decisions.”

Protests will continue anyway at parliament and other locations,” she said.

Earlier this week the opposition announced ‘large-scale protests’ and re-blocking of the parliament building in the capital to convince the government to hold the 2020 elections via a proportional electoral system.