'Georgians will not accept authoritarianism, even if presented as democracy'

Sakartvelo News Updated: 17:41, 22 September 2022

The ruling Georgian Dream party faces growing protests and calls for snap elections following the Constitutional Court's decision to uphold the legitimacy of the outgoing parliament.

Opposition parties and their supporters took to the streets in Tbilisi and other cities on September 20, denouncing the ruling party as undemocratic and calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

The court's decision came after the opposition parties submitted a number of complaints about the legitimacy of the outgoing parliament and the election commission, which they claimed had been stacked with loyalists of the ruling party.

'Georgians will not accept authoritarianism, even if presented as democracy,' former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said in a statement on September 20.'The current authorities have crossed all the red lines and are engaged in a clear attempt to usurp power and create a dictatorship in our country,' he said.

Former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia, who served as a mediator between the opposition and the ruling party, also expressed his disagreement with the court's decision, calling it 'a dark day for Georgia and a heavy blow to the country's democratic institutions.'

Gakharia said he would continue his efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis and called on the authorities to 'immediately stop the riot police and start negotiations with the opposition.'

The opposition parties, including the United National Movement, Girchi, and the European Georgia, have announced plans to hold a rally in front of the parliament building on September 22.

The ruling party has dismissed the opposition's claims, saying they are part of a 'conspiracy' against the government.

The opposition maintains that the current parliament was elected unfairly and that the ruling party had used dirty tricks to win the 2020 election.

The ruling party has rejected the opposition's demands, saying they are not supported by the majority of the Georgian people.

The current parliament is set to expire on October 29, and the next elections are scheduled for 2024.

Author's summary: The article discusses the growing protests and calls for snap elections in Georgia, following the Constitutional Court's decision to uphold the legitimacy of the outgoing parliament, which has been criticized by the opposition as undemocratic.

Meduza — 2025-11-28

'Georgians will not accept authoritarianism, even if presented as democracy'

More News