Protesters Gathered Outside Parliament

Several hundred protesters were gathered by midnight outside Parliament, following the eight-party opposition coalition’s call for supporters to rally.

The rally was called shortly after it was announced late on June 6 that the newly elected parliament’s inaugural session would be convened on June 7.

“We will keep vigil tonight,” Levan Gachechiladze, co-leader of the opposition coalition, told supporters at the rally after midnight, “and more people will join us in the morning.”

Opposition leaders emphasized that the rally would be peaceful.

They have also called on other opposition parties to join them. The Labor Party said it would join the rally. The Christian-Democratic and Republican parties said they would not, citing the absence of a coherent opposition policy.

The Christian-Democratic Party, although it said it would not attend the inaugural session of Parliament, also made it clear that it was against the Parliament boycott adhered to by the two other parties eligible to enter Parliament – the eight-party bloc and the Labor Party.

The Christian-Democratic Party has been criticized for its position.

“You [referring to the Christian-Democratic Party] are helping to create a Soviet-style parliament with this decision,” Kakha Kukava of the Conservative Party, part of the eight-party coalition, said.

Gachechiladze said the CD decision was helping to “legitimize Saakashvili’s parliament.”

Some individual members of the eight-party opposition coalition (Gia Tortladze and Gia Tsagareishvili) have also indicated that they may take their seats if there no unanimous opposition position on a boycott of Parliament. Jondi Bagaturia, leader of Georgian Troupe party, also part of the eight-party coalition, also seem undecided.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)