Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs is not permitting the “Opposition Alliance” to set up a stage near the parliament building for a planned rally.
Shortly before this, Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the political coalition, appealed to Goga Memanishvili, the head of the Tbilisi Patrol Police Main Department, requesting permission to set up the stage structures near the parliament after the Independence Day events conclude and the crowds disperse from Rustaveli Avenue.
“Once the flow of people stops, we will go in and set everything up. Nothing is happening here; when the crowds are gone, on what grounds are you refusing me? I was told there were specific shortcomings in the application, so I sent a new letter, but I haven’t received a reply. If there is no response by 7:00 PM, we will come, and you will have to explain the reason to me,” Gvaramia told Memanishvili.
An MIA representative stated that the ministry had already responded to the “Opposition Alliance” regarding the installation of the structures, making it impossible to bring them to the parliament building at this time.
“You have already been refused on this matter. The structures cannot be brought in. If anything changes, we will let you know. You have already received a response to your application… no additional response has been issued, and I do not understand why you assumed we were granting permission,” Memanishvili said.