Seven detained at opposition rally at parliament
Seven opposition and civic activists have been detained at the Georgian parliament building earlier today for disobedience to police. Photo: IPN.
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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.
Melia, who is charged with incitement to violence during the June protests in Tbilisi back in 2019, was arrested on February 23 for refusal to post bail.
Now the opposition is demanding the release of Melia, one of the co-founders of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua and the repeat parliamentary elections.
They say that rallies will continue 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).
Opposition says that rallies will continue until the government accepts their demands. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The opposition parties have requested mediation instead of facilitation from the EU yesterday, during the meeting with the president of the European Council Charles Michel, to come to an agreement with the ruling Georgian party amid the current political tension.
They said that they may accept the referendum instead of the repeat parliamentary elections.
The international community has urged political parties in the country to deescalate the situation and negotiate.
Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili says that they are ready to continue the dialogue with the opposition. However, he says that no repeat elections will take place because the October 31 parliamentary elections were held ‘in line with democratic standards’ and were recognised by the international community.
Garibashvili also says that Melia and Rurua ‘committed crimes’ and that ‘everyone is equal before the law.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that the opposition continued 'its destructive actions' following the yesterday's meeting with the president of the European Council. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
The ruling Georgian Dream party MPs say that the opposition responds to the calls on negotiation by destructive actions.
60 opposition members from eight opposition parties have won seats in the 150-member parliament in the 10th convocation of the state legislature.
However, 51 of the 60 opposition MPs have refused to take up their mandates and requested the suspension of their status.
They claim that the October 31 elections were fabricated and that repeat elections must take place.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and opposition politicians have gathered at the presidential palace in Tbilisi at a meeting mediated by European Council President Charles Michel. Michel said following the meeting that the parties had an opportunity to listen to each other. However, he said, ‘we understand that there are many difficult topics that need to be tackled’.
Georgian opposition parties have requested mediation instead of facilitation from the EU to come to an agreement with the ruling Georgian party amid the current political tension.
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.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the opposition parties have continued ‘destructive actions and tried to block the functioning of the state legislature’ shortly after the meeting with the European Council president Charles Michel yesterday.
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.