Opposition on rallies amid coronavirus: Ivanishvili is more dangerous for Georgia than Covid-19
Opposition parties say that they will take to the streets despite the threats from Covid-19. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Member of opposition party European Georgia Irma Nadirashvili states that the founder and the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili is ‘more dangerous for Georgia than Covid-19,’ responding to the statement of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia that opposition rallies will cause a sharp increase in coronavirus cases.
Ivanishvili is taking us to Putin. He is more dangerous that coronavirus," Nadirashvili said.
Opposition parties say that the October 31 parliamentary elections were falsified and they have plans to take to the street on November 8, demanding repeat elections.
Protecting the vote is our constitutional right,” Nadirashvili added.
Lelo leader Badri Japaridze said that if any restrictions are imposed to hamper the opposition’s rally ‘we will not obey them.’
Georgian Health Officials have stated earlier today that the freedom of expression is ‘very important. However, we must also care for one another during the pandemic.’
Georgia has reported 2,401 new cases of coronavirus earlier today. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze said that large public gatherings are the primary risk of the virus’ spread.
Deputy head of NCDC Paata Imnadze stated that if people fail to act in line with recommendations, the Georgian health system will be unable to care for thousands of infected individuals.
The Georgian Central Election Commission says that there is ‘a deliberate campaign to harm their image’ and has responded to several allegations.
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The Georgian Dream government says that the elections have international recognition and has urged the opposition parties to accept the election results in a dignified manner.
Former President of Georgia, Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili, has urged people to join the opposition rally on November 8 in Tbilisi despite the recent surge in coronavirus cases.
All eight opposition parties who crossed the one per cent election threshold in the October 31 parliament elections have signed an agreement earlier today not to take up their mandates in parliament. 12 other opposition parties, who were unable to enter the legislative body, also signed the agreement and stated that the elections ‘were not legitimate as they were fabricated.’ All 20 signatory parties have stated that they will continue to fight against the government.
MPs of the Lelo and Alliance of Patriots opposition parties have refused to take up their mandates in parliament.
Unanimous in their demands for repeat elections, the parties which have overcame the mandatory 1% threshold, including the United National Movement, Euroepan Georgia, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Lelo for Georgia, Labour Party and Girchi, accuse the CEC of falsifying elections on behalf of the ruling party.
The ruling Georgian Dream party Executive Secretary Irakli Kobakhidze was questioned at the State Security Service of Georgia over his recent statements concerning the ‘revolutionary scenario’ which he had claimed the opposition was planning to develop amid the parliamentary elections.
An opposition motorcade in Tbilisi has taken to the capital’s streets urging the public to attend the opposition rally on November 8 in central Tbilisi and ‘protect their votes.’
Police officers have detained one individual who shot several times from his vehicle while driving through the tunnel located near the business center of Bidzina Ivanishvili.