skip to content
News

Hundreds of Georgian Companies Shut Down in Nationwide Strike

On January 15, hundreds of Georgian companies suspended work in an unprecedented three-hour nationwide strike. Protest banners appeared throughout Tbilisi early in the morning calling for public participation in an action aimed at demonstrating the potential consequences of Georgia’s international isolation by GD government. The large-scale strike involved a wide range of businesses, including entrepreneurs, SMEs, shops, universities, restaurants, offices and larger companies. The demands of the strike were to urge the GD government to release all imprisoned protesters and to hold new elections.

Protesters, gathered at many locations in central Tbilisi, among them – near Cafe Stamba, which is adjacent to the Rustaveli Metro station, Republic Square and Chavchavadze Avenue. President Salome Zurabishvili showed her support by joining the demonstrators. “The Georgian people are experienced when it comes to [confronting] regimes, using every tool at their disposal,” she stated. The President welcomed the strike, warning that the attempts by the Georgian Dream government was “ready to provoke confrontation among the people” would not succeed.

Georgia’s two largest banks – TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia – did not directly participate in the strike. However, several days before the strike Lika Guntsadze, the mother of detained protester Andro Chichinadze met the representatives of both banks, which affirmed their support for the employees’ freedom of expression and their right to join the protest. TBC and BOG reiterated that they have been and will remain a supporter of Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Some of their employees were engaged in strike and demonstrated their support to the protesters.

PSP, one of Georgia’s major pharmaceutical companies and a pharmacy chain, participated in a symbolic five-minute strike. Company employees displayed banners demanding justice and new elections, noting their brief participation was due to the critical nature of their services.

One of the major trade and business centers of Tbilisi, Karvasla, also joined the strike. Zurab Vashakmadze, the director of Karvasla, stated that the center has around 100 retail outlets and nearly 250 offices, the majority of which participated in the strike. The administration also joined in solidarity.

Meanwhile, an incident occurred on Dolidze Street, where protesters were attacked by thugs. They physically and verbally assaulted the demonstrators who were on strike. That was captured on video that quickly spread on social media.

In addition to the general strike, on January 14, nearly 43 TV channels and media outlets joined the protest, going on strike in response to a court ruling that remanded Mzia Amaghlobeli, the founder and director of Batumelebi/Netgazeti in detention.

Also Read:

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

Back to top button