Opposition shows "yellow card" to Ivanishvili

A protest action has ended at the residence of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader and founder of the ruling "Georgian Dream" Party. The protesters again demanded resignation of Giorgi Gakhariya, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA); they showed a "yellow card" to Ivanishvili as a sign of warning, and promised to continue their action on June 28.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that protest actions in Georgia are being held daily starting from June 20. The protesters have demanded from the authorities to release the detainees, to dismiss Interior Minister Giorgi Gakhariya, and to hold parliamentary elections under a proportional system.

A march from the building of the Georgian parliament began on the evening of June 27 at 10:30 p.m. Several hundred rally participants moved from Rustaveli Avenue to Bidzina Ivanishvili's residence to demand to dismiss, Giorgi Gakhariya, the head of the MIA.

The protesters carried the flags of Georgia, the USA and the European Union, as well as various posters and a large banner with the inscription "Gakhariya, go away!" They chanted "Go away!", whistled and used beeps.

When the crowd of protesters approached the Ivanishvili's house, they showed a "yellow card" to the unofficial leader of Georgia. They reiterated that their peaceful protest would last until the head of the MIA resigned.

"We show a 'yellow card' to Ivanishvili as the last warning. If he fails to dismiss Gakhariya, then, a 'red card' will follow," one of the organizers of the rally, Nika Kavtaradze, said at a rally held at the Ivanishvili's residence.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 28, 2019 at 05:27 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.