UNM rally ends at presidential palace, party announces ‘daily’ demonstrations

The United National Movement opposition party says that rallies will be held in Tbilisi on a daily basis until former president Mikheil Saakashvili is brought to a civil clinic. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda. 

 

Agenda.ge, 15 Nov 2021 - 18:45, Tbilisi,Georgia

The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party rally, which aimed to block roads on both banks of the Mtkvari River today, ended at the presidential palace in central Tbilisi shortly before as the party leadership changed their previous plans. 

UNM head Nika Melia claimed that the government aimed to disperse the ‘peaceful rally,’ and they changed the plan to ‘prevent any provocations or bloodshed.’ 

Melia said that by the decision the UNM ‘once again proved’ that ‘we are a responsible political force.’ 

Riot police and water cannons were present at Baratashvili bridge in central Tbilisi earlier today, where the UNM  activists were marching to block roads. 

Demonstrators are demanding the transfer of former president Mikheil Saakashvili to a civil clinic. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

On the way to the bridge, the UNM decided to change the route and demonstrators marched to the presidential palace. 

Melia says that demonstrations, with the demand to transfer former president Mikheil Saakashvili to a civil clinic, will continue on a daily basis. 

Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze stated today that the UNM had plans to deliberately block roads and cause traffic jams, ‘which is a violation of the law, and the ministry will use proportional force and act in accordance with the law to prevent the violation.’ 

The Georgian Dream government says that the UNM is interested in unrest. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Saakashvili stated last week that he is ready to stop his 46-day hunger strike if he is brought to a civil clinic. However, the Georgian Justice Ministry has not satisfied this condition so far. 

The government says that Saakashvili and the UNM have plans to cause unrest if the former president is brought to a civil clinic. 

Saakashvili was convicted in Georgia in absentia in 2018 for abuse of power and was sentenced to six years in prison. 

He has also been charged with five other offenses.

He says he returned to Georgia after eight years in political exile to remove the Georgian Dream from power.