President Labels Opposition Leaders ‘Market Politicians’

President Saakashvili criticized some opposition politicians for using a protest rally being conducted by a group of outdoor market sellers for their own political interests and said that these opposition leaders are “market politicians.”

“Of course I am on the side of the market sellers… But when the politicians launch [the plan] to build their political career in the market, these politicians are ‘market politicians.’ There is no other name for them,” Saakashvili said.

Around a thousand people gathered outside the Parliament on March 1 to protest against a law requiring merchants to equip their stores in outdoor markets with cash registers. A similar protest rally was held on February 28 as well.

Protest rallies are also being held in Gori, Batumi and in Kakheti region on March 1.

Protesters in Tbilisi were joined by the leaders of opposition Labor and Conservative parties Shalva Natelashvili and MP Koba Davitashvili, respectively. Activists from the opposition New Rights party also joined the protest rally in Gori.

Saakashvili also told reporters that everyone should pay taxes. “There is no alternative to this,” he said.

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