On November 4, the main opposition coalitions organized a protest near the Parliament, gathering thousands of people, denouncing the official election results and presenting the action plan for the coming days, the essential element of which is non-stop street protests.
“We will be in the streets every day,” Nika Melia of the Coalition for Change told the demonstrators. “But it will not be enough to stand only on Rustaveli Avenue, we should stand on all avenues,” he added, calling on people to gather the next day, the afternoon of November 5, near the Sports Palace.
The location of the November 5 protest was subsequently changed from the Sports Palace to the Court of Appeals, as announced just hours before the event.
Opposition’s Action Plan
“My friends, what we promise you is that we will fight to the end, without taking a step back, so that we will definitively reclaim our [joint] victory that you have achieved,” said Giorgi Vashadze of the Unity-UNM, adding, “Georgian Dream has conducted a total special operation, it thinks that it has stolen the elections, but in the end it will not be able to do so, because the victory will be yours, the Georgian people’s.”
Vashadze said the opposition, along with observer missions, had done everything possible to ensure that democratic countries would not recognize the official results.
He then presented the opposition’s plan, which includes: 1. demanding new elections; 2. not recognizing the stolen elections and the legitimacy of the Parliament; 3. starting the resistance movement first in the capital and then throughout the country. “Every next protest will be more acute, focused on more and more concrete plans,” he said. Vashadze added that the opposition continues to gather more evidence and documents for a thorough international investigation and “the punishment of all the criminals who stole the people’s votes.”
“Engaging in this struggle is not only our [politicians’] responsibility. It is the responsibility of all of us, and please understand that the steps we will offer you daily are important to fulfill in order to achieve the final victory,” he added.
He further said, “We are doing everything together. This will continue until the final victory. Our first target together with the government is the Central Election Commission. The CEC should declare the elections null and void because it has been confirmed that the elections were stolen and the secrecy of the ballot was violated.”
Non-Stop Protests
In each of the opposition leader’s speeches, it became clear that the main part of the plan is non-stop street protests.
“It is very important to be in streets,” Zurab Japaridze of the Coalition for Change said. He stressed that Georgia has a chance it never had gotten before, but instead of moving forward on EU path Georgia is being dragged into club of authoritarian countries. He said the elections were stolen and that Ivanishvili effectively is telling the whole world that he has Georgia “in his pocket.” He told the protesters: “The reality is that it’s you who won, it’s not the parties, but you. You have won and along with you, the European future of this country has won…This building [Parliament] and all this power belongs to you, but they do not give it to you.” Japaridze also noted that the CEC has until November 21 to publish the final tally of the October 26 election results. “Until then, we should do everything to ensure that the CEC and [its head] Kalandarishvili do not dare to stamp Ivanishvili’s figures,” he said. After that, he said, there is a 10-day period defined by the Constitution, during which the new parliament will convene and “grant itself legitimacy. He called on people to be ready to take to the streets to protect their victory.
“This movement is called our homeland and freedom, which we will not surrender to anyone. They have not only rigged the elections, but they have viciously stolen from us…Despite the rigging, we have won… This resistance movement has started in Tbilisi and will spread all over Georgia,” Mamuka Khazaradze of the Strong-Georgia coalition announced. “The plan is to stand together, the plan is steadfastness, non-surrender, walking steadily to achieve new elections,” he added, vowing that the Strong Georgia coalition members will not enter the Parliament.
Unity-UNM’s Tina Bokuchava, who praised the opposition’s unity around a common goal, said, “The only plan is a relentless fight to reclaim victory.”
Also Read:
- 29/10/2024 – What Are Opposition Plans on Alleged Vote Fraud
- 28/10/2024 – Photo Story | Thousands Denounce Elections Results at Peaceful Rally
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