Opposition, journalists disrupt extraordinary session of Georgian parliament
A physical confrontation took place in Georgian parliament today as CEOs of several opposition television channels broke in demanding the resignation of the government.
According to them, they were going to ask a few questions to members of the ruling party.
Journalists of several Georgian TV channels at the rally on July 11 demanded the resignation of the government due to the death of a cameraman after being beaten by pogromists in the city center on July 5.
Despite the attempts of the parliamentary guards to stop them, some journalists managed to enter the parliament building with the help of opposition MPs.
The flags of the European Union and Georgia were hung at the sear of the parliamentary chair, and the seat of the speaker of parliament was taken by several women – opposition deputies – Khatia Dekanoidze, Tina Bokuchava, Ana Natsvlishvili, Khatuna Samnidze, Ana Tsitlidze and Tako Charkviani. They hung the flags of the European Union and Georgia on the rostrum, hung out on the chair of the parliament and said that they would not allow the speaker to start the meeting.
Several male deputies from the ruling party and the opposition fought right in the conference room.
Vato Tsereteli, founder of the opposition channel TV Pirveli, was injured in a collision at the entrance to the building.
An extraordinary session of parliament was supposed to take place today, but it was disrupted.
A tense situation arose between journalists and security guards in the hall of the parliament.
The situation in Georgia has worsened after the death of the operator of the Pirveli TV channel Lekso Lashkarava. Lashkarava, who was severely beaten while covering the events of July 5 by members of far-right groups, died on the morning of July 11. Journalists, opposition, NGOs and civil society blamed the government for the incident, as the authorities failed to protect peaceful demonstrators from criminals.
On July 5, a March of Dignity was scheduled to take place in Tbilisi within the framework of Tbilisi Pride Week. In order to disrupt this event, on July 5, at the call of the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church, opponents of Pride took it to the streets.
Observers note that despite the fact that in the morning the radicals staged pogroms in the city, the authorities failed to mobilize a sufficient number of security officials to ensure the safety of citizens.
The July 5 rally was canceled, LGBT+ people did not take to the streets, but homophobes did not disperse – they deliberately persecuted journalists and subjected them to physical violence. On July 5 and 6, 53 journalists were injured in Tbilisi.
According to experts, the actions of homophobic groups were also facilitated by the statement of Prime Minister Garibashvili on the morning of July 5. Garibashvili accused the organizers of the March of Dignity of ‘escalating the tensions’ and urged them not to go to Rustaveli Avenue. Garibashvili said the planned march was “inappropriate” and the opposition was behind it.
