Opposition Vows to Continue Protests

Opposition leaders said protests would resume outside Parliament at 6pm on March 25 and the ongoing hunger strike would continue.

The announcement by MP Kakha Kukava of the Conservative Party, part of the eight-party opposition coalition, was made following consultation of opposition leaders, including those from the New Rights Party.

Earlier on March 25, MP Davit Saganelidze of the New Rights Party, who is on hunger strike, told the Tbilisi-based radio station, Ucnobi, in a phone interview, that there were two options discussed by the opposition. “One is to end the hunger strike and launch the election campaign to challenge and defeat the authorities under those unfair [election] rules which they have established,” MP Saganelidze said. “But the decision will be made jointly, if our colleagues [from the eight-party coalition] continue their hunger strike, of course, it will be pointless for us to end ours.”

Meanwhile, two lawmakers from the New Rights Party ended their hunger strike after their health condition worsened. MP Zviad Dzidziguri of the Conservative Party was hospitalized on March 25.