Opposition holds rally amid US State Secretary’s visit to Georgia
Demonstrators set up a live chain from the Philharmonic Hall to the Parliament hold stickers which are copies of the CEC’s summary protocols with the inscription ‘falsfied’. Citizens hold flags of Georgia and stand two meters apart. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Opposition parties which have refused to enter the parliament following the October 31 elections have held a rally in the centre of Tbilisi amid US State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s visit to Georgia earlier today.
Opposition leaders say that with the rally they on the one hand are expressing respect to Pompeo, while on the other hand speaking out about the issues of the elections.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Demonstrators set up a live chain from the Philharmonic Hall to the Parliament hold stickers which are copies of the CEC’s summary protocols with the inscription ‘falsified’. Citizens hold flags of Georgia and stand two meters apart.
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo arrived in Georgia yesterday.
Thrilled to be in Tbilisi. The United States and Georgia have a strong relationship built upon our shared commitment to freedom and independence. We are committed to helping Georgia deepen its Euro-Atlantic ties and strengthen its democratic institutions. pic.twitter.com/7F9hacSLzl
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) November 17, 2020
He has already met Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani and Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarch Ilia II. Pompeo does not plan to meet the opposition parties.
The Secretary is here to reaffirm the United States' strong support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to reinforce the commitment to our shared values of freedom and democracy,” announced the US Embassy Tbilisi after the arrival of Pompeo.
The US Embassy Tbilisi also noted that Pompeo will discuss efforts to strengthen Georgia's democratic institutions and emphasize the importance of free and fair elections.
Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Over 20 opposition parties have released a statement amid the US State Secretary’s visit to Georgia.
Opposition parties express their concern to Ruling Georgian Dream party chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili’s behavior as they note that Russia fights against the sovereignty of free countries with erosion of the democratic system.
Over 20 opposition parties have released a statement amid the US State Secretary’s visit to Georgia. Opposition parties express their concern to ruling Georgian Dream party chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili’s behavior as they note that Russia fights against the sovereignty of free countries with the erosion of the democratic system.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that the visit of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo in Georgia is ‘very important which will bring substantial results.’
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and US State Secretary Mike Pompeo met earlier today in Tbilisi, where Gakharia told Pompeo that “it is the moment to further strengthen US-Georgia cooperation and partnership and US representation in the region.”During the meeting at the administration building of the government of Georgia in central Tbilisi Gakharia called Pompeo and the US ‘real friends and allies.’
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo has met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in Tbilisi earlier today, where he reaffirmed US commitment to Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and commended the country for its ‘significant contributions’ to the fight against global terrorism, the US Embassy to Georgia has reported. The meeting took place in the Orbeliani presidential palace in central Tbilisi.
"Thrilled to be in Tbilisi", US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote on Twitter after arriving in Georgia earlier today. "The United States and Georgia have a strong relationship built upon our shared commitment to freedom and independence. We are committed to helping Georgia deepen its Euro-Atlantic ties and strengthen its democratic institutions", he stated.
United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said in a video address earlier today that the embassy was ‘proud to welcome’ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Georgia. She said Secretary and Mrs. Pompeo’s visit is 'a reaffirmation of the close, strategic partnership between the United States and Georgia'.
The eight opposition parties who entered parliament following the October 31 parliamentary elections still remain united in that they will not participate in the second round of elections in 17 election constituencies tomorrow and will not take up their mandates in parliament. However, the opposition parties stated earlier today that ‘no rallies’ will be held tomorrow.
Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze says that an agreement may be reached with opposition parties during the third round of negotiations which is being mediated by foreign ambassadors.
The Central Election Commission convened a session earlier today to summarise the final results of Georgia’s parliamentary elections. Having summed up the election results at today’s session, the CEC will now send the document to the parliament of Georgia, which will hold the first session of the tenth convocation within ten days.
The ruling Georgian Dream party and the leaders of eight opposition parties and blocs who were voted in during the October 31 parliamentary elections have held a third meeting with the mediation of foreign ambassadors earlier today to find a way out of the current political crisis. The opposition leaders who say that the elections were fabricated and refuse to take up their mandates described the meeting as ‘positive and useful, as several issues have been agreed.’