Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze emphasized that holding assemblies in the country is open to everyone — including the “Opposition Alliance,” which plans to hold a protest rally on May 26.
However, he noted, the difficulties are related to delivering equipment to the site, which is why the organizers were denied permission to hold the protest on Rustaveli Avenue.
At the same time, Kobakhidze noted that the rally planned by the opposition is a good opportunity to demonstrate their “helpless face.”
“Holding assemblies is open to everyone — let’s clarify this: this was about the placement of specific equipment. You know that May 26 is a holiday, and certain events are associated with it; because of this, difficulties arose with delivering equipment to the site, and therefore the organizers of the assembly were given a corresponding response. As for holding assemblies, in our country it is open to everyone; on the contrary, I think it will be good, they will show their helpless face once again on May 26,” Kobakhidze stated.
Notably, Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the “Ahali” (“New”) party and the “Opposition Alliance,” stated that the opponents of the government will not change the route of the protest planned for May 26, despite the refusal to allow the placement of a stage, screens, and sound equipment on Rustaveli Avenue.
The Tbilisi City Hall informed the opposition that because official events celebrating Independence Day are scheduled in Tbilisi on May 26, traffic patterns have been altered, and setting up structures, including a stage, near the parliament building is deemed unacceptable.
