Businessman Mikheil Gabriadze has told Rustavi 2 TV that he and his friends stand behind ‘bloody’ billboards depicting opposition politicians.
Claiming that he does not belong to any political party, Gabriadze said the former ruling party – United National Movement – which is now the largest opposition party, should not return to power.
This is the personal position and decision of me and my friends”, the businessman told Rustavi 2.
Elene Khoshtaria, leader of Droa movement, who runs for City Council (Sakrebulo) chair on behalf of the united opposition has condemned the billboards.
.@GovernmentGeo’s priorities couldn’t be more clear. One of the few existing pro-vaccination billboard has just been covered with an anti-opposition poster that says: “No to Nazis (National Movement), No to evil, No to betrayal.”#Shame #GeorgiaCrisis #GVote21 pic.twitter.com/Ly6BDo4epa
— Droa (@MovementDroa) September 17, 2021
The billboards depicting opposition politicians, including ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and UNM mayoral candidate Nika Melia says: ‘No to Natsis (‘Natsis’ is a short, in a way derogatory form of the opposition UNM), No to evil, No to betrayal’.
The billboard depicts the media managers of two opposition-minded TV companies Mtavari Arkhi TV and TV Pirveli - Nika Gvaramia and Nodar Meladze.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said he also dislikes the billboards. However, he said they belong to advertising company ALMA and the City Hall has no right to interfere.
There will be no reaction [from our side]. Everyone has the right for expression within the law”, Kaladze stated.
Ruling party chair Irakli Kobakhidze has also noted that ‘everyone has the freedom of expression in this country’.
Someone may like this, someone – not. This seems to be the gift of grateful people to opposition, which has been known for the most brutal methods for nine years”, Kobakhidze said referring to UNM.
He however added that any form of expression which contains such offensive signs deepens polarization, but Kobakhidze believes the main people standing behind the polarization include ‘radical opposition’ with its TV companies.