Opposition Says Riot Police on Alert in Anticipation of Rallies

Irakli Batiashvili, a politician from the opposition Republican Party, has claimed that in anticipation of demonstrations the Interior Ministry’s special purpose units and riot police underwent exercises over weekend in breaking up of protest rallies.

The Georgian daily Rezonansi reported on May 20 quoting unnamed source that exercises were modeled to the area resembling the Rustaveli Avenue outside the Parliament.

Davit Bakradze, ex-foreign minister who now leads the ruling party, said that statements of this kind were “irresponsible.” He said on May 19 that everyone had a constitutional right of assembly and demonstration; he also added that he hoped the opposition would use this right in frames of law and he also added that it was the authorities’ obligation to secure constitutional order.

The nine-party opposition bloc has called for a rally outside the Sport Palace late on May 21 after the polling stations will be closed. The opposition has also vowed to protect the vote and not to let the authorities rig the elections.