The Georgian Prime Minister, Iraqi Kobakhidzé, promised, on Sunday, October 5, reprisals against the opposition after the electoral demonstrations of the day before, marked in particular by an attempted irruption of protesters in the palace of the presidency, pushed by the police.
Tens of thousands of pro-European demonstrators gathered on Saturday evening in the center of Tbilisi to protest against the government, the day held local elections boycotted by part of the opposition and won by the ruling party, a Georgian dream.
The police used tear gas and water cannons to prevent protesters from entering the presidency. Scuffles also took place between the police and demonstrators, who erected barricades and set fire to it.
An “attempted coup”, for the power in place
“Several people have already been arrested, first of all, the organizers of the attempted reversal” of power, Kobakhidza told journalists on Sunday, qualifying the demonstrations of “Attempted coup” and assuring that they had been “Planned by foreign intelligence services”without naming them.
“This political force – a network of agents from abroad – will be completely neutralized and will no longer be authorized to intervene in Georgian policy”he continued on Sunday, referring to the main opposition party, the UNI National Movement (MNU) of the former imprisoned president Mikheïl Saakachvili.
The Ministry of the Interior said, on Saturday, having opened an investigation for “Calls to violently reverse the constitutional order and the authority of the State” And arrested five managers of the protest, who run up to nine years in prison.
According to the electoral commission, Dream Georgian won the majority in all the municipalities in the running during the election on Saturday, which was boycotted by several opposition parties. It was a first test for this political party since the legislative elections in October 2024 which it officially won but whose result is challenged by the opposition.
Authoritarian drift accusations
Mikheïl Saakachvili, who is serving a twelve and a half year sentence for, in particular, abuse of power, had called for his supporters to demonstrate for what he described as “Last chance” to save Georgian democracy. After the legislative elections of 2024, the opposition supporters had organized demonstrations for months, some of which had been repressed by the police. The power had carried out dozens of arrests of opponents and activists, strengthened repressive legislation and increased its pressure on independent media.
Georgian dream, in power since 2012, is accused by its authoritarian drift detractors and of wanting to abandon the country’s ambitions to integrate the European Union (EU) to get closer to Moscow. He took anti-LGBT measures and adopted a law on “Foreign agents” denounced by the EU. The Georgia membership process has been suspended.
The authorities ensure promoting the “Stability” While accusing the opposition of wanting to take power by force and Westerners of seeking to use the country to open a second front against Russia.
In a recent survey, the Institute for Social Studies and Analysis assesses the Georgian dream popularity rating at around 36 %, the opposition having the favors of 54 % of Georgians. But this opposition is divided. If Mr. Saakachvili’s party boycotted local elections, other training courses, such as Lelo for Georgia, supported candidates.
