UNM opposition banner depicting party leader Melia shot at
The United National Movement opposition party says that the incident took place at their head office, in the outskirts of Tbilisi. Photo: netgazeti.
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The United National Movement opposition party says a banner depicting currently imprisoned leader Nika Melia was shot at.
The banner is attached to the party headquarters on Kakheti Highway, Tbilisi.
The party says that the man shot the banner from a car.
The Georgian Interior Minister has launched an investigation.
According to media reports, a banner on the facade of the “United National Movement” headquarters was allegedly damaged by a shot from a firearm.
— MIA of Georgia (@MIAofGeorgia) March 17, 2021
MIA launched an investigation regarding the fact under articles 187 & 236 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.https://t.co/4N2UvitBRs
The ministry says that the UNM has not addressed them so far and that the investigation was launched after the information went viral.
Melia was arrested on February 23, 2021 for his refusal to pay bail.
His release is one of the three demands of the opposition in the currently ongoing, EU-mediated talks with the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who met with the European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels yesterday, has told journalists that the Georgian ruling party and the opposition must come to an agreement amid the current political tension, but a solution ‘must not be found at the expense of state interests.’
Georgian opposition parties say that Christian Danielsson, who is the EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition, will stay in Tbilisi until the parties come to an agreement on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of opposition leader Nika Melia.
EU mediator Christian Danielsson has met with the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition amid the current political tension in Georgia. Danielsson, who arrived in Georgia yesterday, has held separate meetings with different parties.
The EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition amid the current political tension, Christian Danielsson, has stated that the parties should themselves find a solution to the situation with the help of mediation. He stated that Georgia ‘is a valuable partner’ for the EU and that the EU is concerned by the ‘current political deadlock’ in the country.
Georgian law enforcers have detained one individual who allegedly shot at a banner of the United National Movement opposition party which depicts the party’s currently imprisoned leader Nika Melia.
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.
Political movement Droa leader Elene Khoshtaria, who is the united opposition’s joint candidate for the City Council (Sakrebulo) chair in the upcoming local elections, has filed a complaint in the Central Election Commission (CEC) over billboards which portray opposition politicians as ‘bloody.’ The billboards feature opposition political leaders, including former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia who resigned earlier this year and the media managers of two opposition-minded TV channels Nika Gvaramia and Nodar Meladze from Mtavari Arkhi and TV Pirveli which reads: ‘No to Natsis (referring to the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party), No to evil, No to betrayal.’