Opposition and activists announce an action plan
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Thursday, November 21
Shota Dighmelashvili, one of the organizers of the recent demonstrations in front of the Parliament building, has announced the action plan for the Georgian activists.
“On Monday, November 25, there will be a massive get-together in front of the Parliament. We’ll picket the building again and they’ll have to dismiss us again,” - announced Dighmelashvili.
The goal of picketing the Parliament is canceling Tuesday’s Plenary Session of the Parliament. Dighmelashvili noted that if the MPs want to enter the Parliament Police will have to confront Georgian people.
"We are peaceful demonstrators and use only forms of non-violent protest, but we will do everything to the end. With the involvement of all political groups, but not leadership, it is important.” – said Dighmelashvili noting that civil society opposition parties will operate independently until Monday.
Dighmelashvili also underlined that the political opposition is helping the organizers. A council has been launched where the meetings of united opposition will be attended by the civil society rep.
Giorgi Gugava of the Labor Party has announced the plan of political opposition that has been agreed upon in the Labor Party office.
Next Monday, at 19:00 large protest, is planned at the Republic Square, the opposition and their supporters will march and join demonstrators standing in front of parliament, on Rustaveli Avenue, later that day to picket the Parliament once more.
Gugava was also noted that before Monday, the intense protests won’t cease. “We’ll continue to protest intensively and picket administrative buildings before Monday. We have to force them to correspond to the demands of Georgian people and leave this country alone,” said Gugava.
The leader of the European Georgia opposition party David Bakradze also announced regarding a “large-scale” rally on November 25 in front of parliament, adding that demonstrators will ‘peacefully block the entrances’ of the legislative body on November 26 to prevent parliament from working.
He stated that the opposition is down in the mouth about blocking the parliament activities. However, “the current state leadership has left no other way when they broke their promise about fully proportional elections.” The snap proportional elections remain as the demand of civil activists and the political opposition.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze responded that the government will act in line with the law and “take appropriate steps,” if the work of the legislative body is hampered again.
Koba Kobaladze, a member of the parliamentary majority, said the opposition's actions were aimed at destabilizing the country and that any anti-state action would be prevented:
“Our assessment is useless for the opposition because they have their own action plan, which is somewhat against the state. They have the principle “if it’s not us, then nothing at all” Hence their actions, visions, aggression that is manifested. The unjustified aggression is not aimed at building a strong country, it is about destabilizing it,” - the MP said.
According to him, freedom of expression is protected in the country, political groups have the opportunity to express their views and interests without hindrance, but freedom of expression is protected as long as the processes don’t fall outside the legal framework:
"These days have shown us that the state structures have the ability to maintain stability in the country, and that will be the case. We are talking about the state position. Therefore, any anti-state actions will be suppressed by the state,” - Kobaladze said.
Political parties and civil activists are protesting against the promise of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the Georgian Dream. The parliament has stalled a planned constitutional amendment, according to which the 2020 parliamentary elections would be conducted through a proportional system, thus breaking its promise given to the public after 20-21 June events and sparking protest again.
For almost a week now, the opposition and civil society have been holding rallies demanding early elections be held under the so-called German model under the interim government. After a large rally on Sunday, some of the protesters marched in front of parliament. They blocked all entrances to the legislature, and on November 18, the Georgian Dream lawmakers were not allowed to attend the committee. After that, the Ministry of Internal Affairs pulled out a special unit and dispersed the action with a cannon. The tents were also taken, but despite this, the action is still being held.
