Dispersal of Tbilisi protests undermines Georgian Dream's prospects

Oppositionists continue their protests in central Tbilisi. The violent suppression of protests has reduced the chances of the "Georgian Dream" to win the next elections, the analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that since November 14, a round-the-clock protest action is being held in Tbilisi; it was launched after the MPs' failure to adopt the bill on amending the electoral system. On November 18, four persons, including two policemen, were injured during a dispersal of a protest rally. 37 activists were detained.

In the evening on November 19, several hundred people gathered in front of the parliament building, grouped in the pedestrian part of the avenue. Its carriageway remained open to traffic, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has reported.

Protesters have announced their intention to launch a large-scale march along Rustaveli Avenue to the parliament building on November 25, hold an action there, stay overnight, and at noon on November 26, block the entrances thereto for the MPs, Giorgi Ugulava, one of the leaders of the oppositional "European Georgia" Party, has stated.

Speaking about the dispersal of protesters by law enforcers, Mr Ugulava has declared that the authorities "broke the record", since for five months in a row "not a single authority has resorted to such radical measures against demonstrators."

The dispersal of protesters in Tbilisi on November 18 has left the ruling party "no chance to win the 2020 elections," said Tornike Sharashenidze, a Georgian political analyst. "The 'Georgian Dream' Party has no resources; they have no qualified personnel to make correct political decisions. No matter how hard they try, they will only lose their rating," Mr Sharashenidze told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Gela Vasadze, another political scientist, agrees with this opinion. He also believes that the "Georgian Dream" has only lost its votes, and the "dispersal of pickets yielded nothing." "People rallied in Rustaveli Avenue and continue rallying," Mr Vasadze told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 20, 2019 at 01:36 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.