Opposition holding rally in central Tbilisi, announces ‘permanent’ protest
Various political party leaders and people from several Georgian regions have joined the protest rally in Tbilisi today. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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A protest rally organised by the largest opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), is being held on Freedom Square in central Tbilisi, where UNM head Nika Melia announced a ‘permanent’ protest, calling on supporters to stay on the spot.
Protesters are demanding the transfer of Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili to a civil hospital, his eventual release from prison and annulment of the results of the municipal elections based on which the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party won 63 of 64 mayoral constituencies and received 47% of the vote in the proportional part of the race.
Various political party leaders and people from several Georgian regions have joined the protest rally in Tbilisi today.
UNM head Melia also stated that the protest rallies won’t be held in front of Gldani No.18 prison hospital where Saakashvili was transferred earlier today, noting that this may be considered a ‘provocation.’
Holding a rally there [Gldani prison hospital] now is the dream of the GD to stage a riot there and endanger his [Saakashvili’s] life, and then to put the blame on us for [what would turn out to be] a special operation planned by Russia,” Melia said.
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Protesters who gathered on Freedom Square are marching towards the government administration building following Melia’s call on supporters not to allow PM Irakli Garibashvili to enter the building.
A large, powerful rally will continue in parallel in front of the Chancellery building. If Garibashvili is inside, he will not be able to leave, if he is not, he will not be able to enter,” Melia said.
However, at the same time, a large number of police officers are mobilised in front of the building.
UNM member Levan Khebeishvili announced earlier today that they plan to ‘block state buildings and streets and to throw out the members of the ruling Georgian Dream from the cabinets they occupied illegally’ after the elections.
The Interior Ministry has called on citizens and opposition leaders to ‘observe public order’ at today’s protest rally, stating that the body’s employees will maintain security measures and prevent ‘artificial escalation of events.’
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party has plans to ‘block state buildings and streets and to throw out the members of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) from the cabinets they occupied illegally’ after the recent municipal elections, UNM member Levan Khebeishvili stated earlier today.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia has called on citizens and opposition leaders to ‘observe public order’ during a protest rally which will be held today on Freedom Square in the capital of Tbilisi. Opposition leaders announced a mass demonstration in the centre of Tbilisi following the government dismissal of their demand to transfer the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from prison to a private hospital for treatment.
Nika Melia, the chairman of the United National Movement opposition party, has given the government 24 hours to ensure the imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili is moved from prison to a private clinic, as law enforcement made arrests at the opposition's rally outside the detention facility in the city of Rustavi on Saturday.
Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who reportedly has been on hunger strike for 39 days, has been transferred to Gldani No.18 prison hospital ‘to prevent deterioration in his health due to increased risks,' the Georgian Special Penitentiary Service reports.
The situation in front of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, where the opposition is holding a rally, has tensed after the United National Movement (UNM) member Levan Khabeishvili attempted to spray the message ‘free Misha’ in solidarity of the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili on the square in front of the administration building. The confrontation took place between the protesters and the police as the law enforcement officials prevented Khabeishvili from making the inscription.