Opinion: “The organizers of the Tbilisi rally have given grounds for a new wave of repression”
Gia Nodia on the protests and elections in Georgia
“Criticizing people in prison is wrong, but what we saw in Tbilisi on October 4 was at best an example of incompetence and naivety, and at worst – irresponsibility. For the first time, the propagandist narrative about an alleged ‘coup’ being prepared by the opposition gained real justification,” political analyst Gia Nodia wrote on social media.
According to the expert, criticizing the October 4 protest does not mean everything is lost. In his view, in the current situation, the main weapon is principled action on concrete issues.
The mass anti-government protest held on October 4 on Rustaveli Avenue, parallel to the municipal elections, ended with an attempted storming of the presidential palace and police intervention. Around a dozen people, including political leaders, were arrested, and several were injured.
In the elections boycotted by the opposition and much of the public, the ruling Georgian Dream party won by a wide margin.
Gia Nodia: “I know that criticizing people in prison, whose patriotism I do not doubt, sounds wrong.
But staying silent would also be wrong. What we saw last night – and what we all, in one way or another, took part in – was at best an example of extreme incompetence and naivety, and at worst, irresponsibility.
Still, it would be unfair to blame only those who took the initiative. A part of society had a demand for revolution – and that was entirely understandable.
If you believe that (1) this government cannot be changed through elections, and (2) it is impossible to coexist with it (and much of the opposition-minded public has accepted both), then what remains?
Many of us were rightly proud that the continuous protest in Georgia had lasted more than 300 days, but the same situation naturally led to frustration: ‘How much longer?’ ‘Let’s do something!’
Everyone I spoke with at the rally came for a peaceful protest and viewed the organizers’ talk of “ousting the government” with irony. Some believed it, but they were relatively few.
In any case, many people showed up – they were hoping for something, even if most didn’t quite know what.”
“What happened is very bad in two ways.
First, it brings depression and a sense of defeat: the same day showed that neither elections nor ‘revolutions’ achieved anything. So what now?
Second – and perhaps more dangerously – the organizers of the rally gave the authorities a legitimate pretext for a new wave of repression, which has already been announced.”
On October 5, Georgia’s Interior Ministry issued the following statement: “Any gathering held on the territory of Georgia today or in the coming days will be considered a continuation of yesterday’s attempt to overthrow the government. We urge everyone to take this into account and refrain from any actions that could serve as grounds for legal measures.”
“One could say that the authorities already had fabricated, baseless accusations.
But now their propagandist narrative about a ‘coup attempt’ has, for the first time, gained real ground — and the government will likely push the repressions further.
That does not mean everything is lost.
In the current situation, our main weapon is principled action on concrete issues and moral rejection of the regime.
This alone will not bring a change of power, but it is necessary to preserve the foundation on which, someday – I don’t know when, but it will happen – a more dignified Georgia must be built.”
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