Opposition holds protest in downtown Tbilisi, raises demands, says protests will continue
Opposition parties say that rallies will continue until the current state government fulfills their demands. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The Georgian opposition parties which took to the street following the recent arrest of the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia are now holding a protest in downtown Tbilisi on Rustaveli Avenue.
They say that protests will continue at parliament, the administrative building of the government of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and at Tbilisi City Court until Melia and the co-founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Giorgi Rurua are released, and repeat parliamentary elections scheduled.
The opposition says that the next rally will take place on March 2 at the parliament of Georgia.
After the parliament opposition has plans to hold rallies: at the administrative building of the government of Georgia (on March 5), at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (on March 9), at Tbilisi City Court (on March 11) and again at parliament (on March 13). Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Melia, who is charged with incitement to violence during the June protests in Tbilisi back in 2019, was arrested earlier this week for refusal to post bail.
He has sent a letter from prison for today’s rally where he said that ‘I have never been so free,’ and urged people to ‘fight to the end for freedom.’
Melia’s arrest sparked further political tension in the country.
The opposition parties which have been demanding repeat parliamentary elections since November 2020 took to the street again this week, demanding the release of Melia and repeat parliamentary elections.
The international community has urged political parties in the country to deescalate the situation and negotiate.
Opposition is also demanding the release of Giorgi Rurua. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The Prosecutor’s Office said that Melia publicly violated his bail conditions in November 2019 and also publicly refused to post the additional 40,000 GEL which was added to his initial, 30,000 GEL bail for publicly removing his surveillance bracelet.
The Prosecutor’s Office said yesterday that if Melia posts bail, they will request his release.
Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili said that ‘Melia is a criminal’ and that everyone in a democratic state is equal before the law.
Melia has been found guilty in the Cartu Bank case and earlier today, Georgian police arrested him in a special operation for another case he is charged in. During the June 2019 protests Melia encouraged people to engage in violence and tried to break into the parliament building,” Garibashvili said.
Later he addressed the nation saying that 'today is not the time for division – it is the time for unification.'
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) monitoring co-rapporteurs for Georgia Titus Corlatean and Claude Kern have expressed their concern over the recent developments in Tbilisi. European Parliament members Marina Kaljurand and Sven Mikser have also called on the ruling party and opposition 'to immediately take necessary steps to de-escalate political tensions'.
New Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has addressed the nation saying that Georgia’ has no time to lose’. ‘Today is not the time for division – it is the time for unification’, he stated. Garibashvili who was confirmed prime minister yesterday said in his recent video address that amid the important challenges Georgia is facing nowadays, including the pandemic, ‘we must all unite’ regardless the political beliefs and views.
Opposition parties and their supporters have blocked off central Rustaveli Avenue earlier today, following the recent arrest of the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia.Melia, who is charged with incitement to violence during the June protests in Tbilisi back in 2019, has been arrested for refusal to post bail.
EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell has responded to a special forces storm of the United National Movement office this morning to arrest its chair Nika Melia and said that 'all sides need to demonstrate responsibility and have the best interest of the country and the Georgian people at heart' in his post on Twitter.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has stated that he is ready to mediate talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition to help them end the current political tension in the country.
Seven individuals have been detained at the opposition’s anti-government rally at the Georgian parliament in central Tbilisi earlier today after they disobeyed police.The opposition parties which have been demanding repeat parliamentary elections since November 2020 took to the street again last week, following the arrest of the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia.
Changes to the Georgian election code, per an agreement with the ruling Georgian Dream and Citizens opposition party have been introduced to the state legislature.
Opposition parties have temporarily postponed joint protests until completion of negotiations with the government, which was initiated by the President of the European Council Charles Michel.
The Georgian Dream ruling party has launched preparations for municipal elections which will take place in the autumn of this year, party officials have stated today, after a meeting at the party headquarters in central Tbilisi.