Georgian PM: dispute with opposition should move into legal realm
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia proposes the opposition to leave the streets and start discussions in the legal field. On November 9, he also stated that Georgia’s strategic partners support this approach and are ready to help the process.
“There is no alternative to peace and democracy,” Gakharia said, speaking at a meeting of the Interdepartmental Coordination Council.
The day before, on November 8, a large-scale rally was held in Tbilisi against the rigged parliamentary elections that took place on October 31. The protest ended late in the evening with two attacks using water cannons and tear gas. Several people were injured and hospitalized, including journalists.
After the crackdown, the leaders of the united opposition called on their supporters to gather again on November 9 at 6 pm on the central Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi.
Commenting on the November 8 protest, the prime minister accused the opposition of “lacking any responsibility” as, according to him, its radical representatives called for disobedience and an attempt to storm the building of the Central Election Commission.
Gakharia said that “all violations of the law, violence and incitement to violence that occurred on November 8 will be analyzed.”
The prime minister urged everyone to remember that Georgia has serious epidemiological and economic problems that the government is trying to cope with.
“Every hospital bed, every ambulance team, every doctor counts. And there are even more problems in the economy, ”Gakharia said.
