Large scale opposition rally on Rustaveli

At a special press conference yesterday, on the eve of a planned meeting on Rustaveli Avenue organized by the Representative Public Assembly, the initiative group addressed the law enforcement bodies to avoid implementation of illegal orders. Georgian legislation, according to the special address, obliges law enforcers to serve their people and homelands not a particular regime or political party. “As the deserving children of your country you should follow your professional standards and citizenship obligations for the name of people not the faulty authorities. Look at our divided and split country, feel the people’s troubles and never forget that you are the indivisible part of our nation!” was said in the statement.

Stressing that the Government of Georgia is constantly trying to encourage the police and army against the people, the initiative group of the Representative Public Assembly reminded them not to act against their own people. “You shouldn’t let this happen – but oppose any confrontation,” was further stressed in the statement. The Representative Public Assembly which according to its members has been fighting for Georgia’s worthy future expressed their full trust towards the law enforcers that the latter would by all means ensure the people’s security and their unity for protecting the interests of Georgia.

Hoping that the public meeting would be organized in a legal manner, Majoritarian MP and the Chairman of the Legal Issues Committee Pavle Kublashvili said the Government would adequately reaction on the possible violations in front of the Parliament. “Everyone has a right to express their protest but their activities will be followed by an appropriate response in cases of violations of law,” he told the media.

Inviting the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili and the Government to join their meeting, the initiative group encouraged the authorities to stand together with the society - this would be a truthful test for the Government to reveal how close they are with their people. Georgian people, according to the Representative Public Assembly, would make an important decision for the country by introducing their claims against Saakashvili and his team.

According to the information released by Eka Beselia, the Leader of the public movement Solidarity With Illegal Prisoners, the members of the public meeting would vote for the new State Constitution and the so-called Verdict of Mistrust – the project revealing all the problems within the Government. Explaining that there will be special structural units in place Beselia said this group will be entitled with the mandate of “trust” oriented on the implementation of the plans around problematic issues. More than 850 000 people are supposed to participate in the rally which, according to the state constitution, is enough for legalizing the decision. “If people will join us, the process will be naturally continued. Government needs the people’s mandate and if the same people would decide to change the Government their decision would be absolutely legal,” Beselia stated.

The attempt to change the current Government will develop in different directions after the public meeting. If the delegates will support the idea of expressing mistrust towards the Government, it will be followed by the protest movement in different forms, Nona Gaprindashvili told the media at the Caucasus Internet Media Club. The legal-based decision according to Gaprindashvili will enable the people to fully express their will… “It’s high time that the people would learn to protect their rights and the Government – consider the people’s interests and be aware they can’t lead the country without them,” she stated.

The Representative Public Assembly encouraged all the political and social groups to join their meeting at 3 p.m. on November 25 and share their ideas to the public because, according to the information provided by the Assembly member Nona Gaprindashvili, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) will not broadcast the meeting on air. After the meeting with Gia Chanturia, the General Director of GPB, Gaprindashvili said there would be a special report on the event not the live. Stressing she had been waiting for the refusal Gaprindashvili spoke of the public demand about airing the event and encouraged GPB financed by the Georgian people to cover the issues important for society.

The independent editorial board of GPB, according to Gia Chanturia will consider the format of the report themselves. “No one has a right to interfere in our affairs because the media transparency refers to everyone! We have neither financial nor technical problems with broadcasting but the event will prompt us how exactly to transfer it,” Chanturia told The Messenger. “They have informed us about their decision and it’s up to us to define how to provide the people with the precise information. Let them first hold the meeting and we will broadcast all the interesting details just as we always do,” he added.