November 20, 2019 - 18:36 AMT
Tbilsi mayor: If parliament is blocked, government will react "appropriately"

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze says no one will restrict the right of citizens to express their opinion, however, in case the Parliament is picketed, the government "will take appropriate measures", Georgia Today reports.

He noted that the protesters should not go beyond the law.

“No one will restrict the rallies. People have the right to express their opinions on any issue, no matter how critical it may be. However, most importantly, they should not go beyond the law. Of course, no one can prevent these people from coming out and expressing their views. If the Parliament is blocked, the relevant services will respond appropriately,” he said.

Another mass protest rally is planned for November 25 in Tbilisi. The protesters have announced they will block the Parliament building on November 26.

The protests in Tbilisi were sparked after the rejection of the election bill last week, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, offering the transition to a fully proportional electoral system from 2020 instead of 2024.