US Embassy prepared to face Georgian Party protest

Freedom of assembly for peaceful protest is an important part of a vibrant democratic state, John Bass, the U.S. Ambassador in Georgia said on May 13, when asked to comment on the opposition Georgian Party’s plan to hold a rally outside the U.S. embassy on May 16.

“We strongly support everyone’s ability to exercise those rights here in Georgia, irrespective of whether or not we happen to agree with their particular point of view,” John Bass said, adding that there had been a number of protest rallies in the past outside the U.S. embassy and “I’m sure the rally planned for May 16 won’t be the last one”.

The Georgian Party's planned demonstration in front of the US Embassy for today has been negatively assessed by most of the oppositional parties. According to the leader of the National forum, the Georgian Party made a mistake when it criticized the United States, "the Georgian party has a right to hold peaceful demonstrations; however we will not gather with them. We consider that the party has made a serious mistake with its criticism towards the United States. We had not had such profitable foreign relations after the crusade wars and we should use these factors."

The Georgian party does not seem to be concerned with such "foreign factors", as they do not intend to cancel holding the demonstration, moreover, they will not let some oppositional parties gather with them," some marginal oppositional representatives have expressed a desire to participate in the rally in front of the US Embassy however we are categorically against this. We invite only those parties in the demonstration, for whom Georgian interests are most important and not the interest of Russia or some other states, "one of the Leaders of Georgian party, Erosi Kintsmarishvili, said.

The US Embassy will be the third place where the Georgian party has held a demonstration after Kakheti region and Batumi, however not the last, according to the party's representatives. They have not yet mentioned when their protests will reach a conclusion but they have made it clear where this will happen," Georgian party is starting changing the current authorities from Batumi and will end this process in Tbilisi at the President's residence, " Sozar Subari, one of the party leaders mentioned.

The United States is burying democracy in Georgia' - one of the leaders of the Georgian party, former Defense Minister, Irakli Okruashvili stated in his interview with Maestro TV, on May 10. As he has mentioned the Georgian Party would hold a rally at the US embassy in Tbilisi on May 16 to object to US activities in Georgia. He mentioned that the goal of the rally is to reach and close the tap and stop the flow which allegedly poisons Georgian society. This place is the US embassy in Dighomi, Tbilisi," If Russians are taking away our territories, Americans deprive us of our freedom, and we’ll never be able to use our territories properly, unless we are free,” Okruashvili said.