Alasania Tells Protesters to Respect Leaders’ Decisions

Irakli Alasania, leader of Alliance for Georgia, told protesters at the rally outside the Parliament on May 14 “not to listen to rumors” and “to respect” decisions of opposition leaders.

Opposition leaders had to explain to protesters and defend their decision to unblock traffic on one of key thoroughfares of Tbilisi outside the public TV. The decision, which was made on May 13, was expected to be enforced on May 14, but the opposition has failed to do it after the objections from activists camped in improvised cells there since April 14. It is not yet clear when the improvised cells, blocking traffic on Kostava Street, will be removed.

“Today when we say that picket should be moved [from the road] closer to the public broadcaster’s premises, that’s very right decision and no one should be concerned about it; that is our decision and you have to respect this decision,” Alasania told protesters.

“Not only emotions, but reason should guide our decisions,” he continued. “Emotions will fail to bring results if no reason guides them.”

“We should not be afraid of bold decisions; we should not be afraid of how television stations will cover our decisions; we should be sure that we [take decisions] aimed at change of the authorities peacefully and all the steps are directed towards this goal; we should not listen any rumor or information that reaches you bypassing us. We stand together and we serve our goal together. Do we [opposition parties] have differences? Yes of course. Do you all have the same opinion on various issues? Yes we have differences, but we have the same goal so let’s move together towards this goal,” Alasania said.

There have been widespread media reports recently that there were growing differences between the opposition leaders over the tactics. Some opposition leaders calls to continue dialogue with the authorities, in which Alasania and his allies, have been most vocal, triggered speculation that he was ready to put aside demanding President Saakashvili’s resignation.

He told protesters not to listen to “lot’s of rumors, which are being spread as if some [politicians] intend to make [backstage] deals [with the authorities].”

Salome Zourabichvili, leader of Georgia’s Way, also told protesters at the same rally not to pay attention to those rumors that Alasania intended “to make deals” with the authorities.

But she also said that because Alasania was a newcomer in the Georgian politics “he simply does not believe what a scum they [the authorities] are.”

“I also did not believe in that when I entered the politics here [in 2005],” she continued. “But I understood very soon how many lies there were and he [Alasania] will also realize that soon.”

Meanwhile, earlier on May 14 few hundred opposition activists picketed the public broadcasters’ headquarters forming at the entrance a so called “corridor of shame” through which employees had to pass accompanied by opposition activists’ boos. Similar rally will also be held there on May 15.

Davit Berdzenishvili of the Republican Party, part of Alliance for Georgia, told protesters outside the Parliament that the opposition should continue this “democratic storm of the public broadcaster.”

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