In the center of Tbilisi, in front of the building of the Georgian parliament, the opposition is holding a mass protest action. This was reported by the Telegram channel “Sputnik Near Abroad”.
The protesters demand the release of the arrested leader of the leading opposition party, United National Movement, Nik Melia, and new parliamentary elections.
There have already been several clashes with the police. Thus, the protesters tried to block the road, but this was prevented by law enforcement officers. One activist was detained, two more were taken out of the territory where the mass action is taking place. After that, the situation in the center of Tbilisi became tense.
Earlier it became known that on Tuesday, March 2, a meeting of representatives of the opposition and the Georgian authorities was held. It will take place at the presidential residence. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, who is in Tbilisi on an official visit, proposed to hold a meeting between the authorities and the opposition.
The situation in Georgia has escalated after the arrest of an associate of the former president of the country, Mikheil Saakashvili, head of the country's largest opposition party, Nika Melia.
He is accused of organizing an attempt to storm parliament in the summer of 2019. At the end of June 2019, he was released on bail of 30 thousand lari (more than nine thousand US dollars) and ordered to wear an electronic bracelet. Melia posted bail, but in November 2020, at a rally against the results of the parliamentary elections, he publicly tore off his bracelet and threw it away, calling it a symbol of injustice.
