Protests in Tbilisi: vetoed law sparks unrest and violence
Protesters gathered on Saturday in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, to oppose the foreign agents law, burning flags of Russia and the ruling Georgian Dream party in front of the parliament, as reported by the Interpressnews.ge agency.
"This is a message for Bidzina Ivanishvili," the protesters chanted. Ivanishvili is the informal leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party and currently serves as its honorary chairman. Experts and ordinary Georgians believe Ivanishvili is "the most influential person in the country," making all the significant decisions.
protests in Georgia
Saturday's protest in front of the Georgian parliament attracted fewer people than previous demonstrations. Still, the participants assured that "the authorities will not wait them out" and the protests would intensify again. Students and healthcare workers were among the notable attendees in the streets of Tbilisi.
On Saturday, President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed the controversial foreign agents law, which has been the cause of massive protests for over a month.
The ruling party has enough votes to override the presidential veto.
Earlier, Zurabishvili stated that her veto was to be the "voice of the people." She also categorically rejected Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s suggestions that amendments could be made to the law at the veto stage. According to Zurabishvili, "the entire law needs to be withdrawn."
Georgian media reported on Saturday that some activists and opposition members were summoned by the police for questioning regarding the protests. Furthermore, there have been ongoing reports of activists being beaten by "unknown assailants" and a continuing campaign of intimidation through threatening phone calls.
From unknown (often international) numbers, activists and their relatives have been receiving threatening phone calls, demanding that they stop attending the protests.
Opposition activists Dato Kwatadze and Irakli Pavlenishvili reported beatings. The father of another opposition member, Lasha Parulava, was hospitalized after receiving a phone call threatening to kill his son.
