10 Dec 2024 | 09:39 AM UTC
Georgia: Protest activity likely in Tbilisi and other urban centers through at least mid-December /update 10
Further anti-government protests likely in Tbilisi, other cities in Georgia through mid-December. Heightened security, disruptions likely.
Anti-government protest activity will likely continue in major cities across Georgia through at least mid-December. Opposition groups will denounce the ruling Georgian Dream party's decision on Nov. 28 to halt EU accession negotiations until 2028.
As of Dec. 10, opposition groups have protested in central Tbilisi for 12 consecutive days; demonstrations will almost certainly continue and may intensify in coming days. On Dec. 14, officials will elect the next president, who will likely be the Georgian Dream candidate, Mikheil Kavelashvili. The election may prompt increased protest activity, which in turn may lead to further increased security measures.
From official sources, since late November nearly 400 protestors have been arrested, of whom 60 have been imprisoned and over 100 fined. Reports state that 150 police officers have been injured. International bodies have reported incidents of violence against journalists and protesters.
In Tbilisi, thousands of protesters will likely continue to gather at central locations including the Parliament on Shota Rustaveli Avenue, in Freedom Square, at the Presidential Palace, the headquarters of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Republic Square, Heroes' Square, and at Tbilisi State University. Related demonstrations are also likely in other cities across the country.
Authorities will likely continue to deploy a heightened security presence to the sites of any protests that materialize. Police will almost certainly attempt to forcibly arrest protesters perceived to be particularly unruly. Transport and business disruptions will probably affect areas subject to protest activity. Additional acts of vandalism and clashes between demonstrators, law enforcement officers, and ideologically opposed individuals cannot be ruled out.
Avoid all demonstrations as a standard precaution. Exercise caution around government and court buildings as well as political party offices. Allow extra time for travel during periods of protest activity, and consider taking alternative routes to circumvent affected areas and any disruptions. If violence breaks out in your area, immediately depart the vicinity and seek shelter in a secure, nongovernmental building. Adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities.
Following the Oct. 26 parliamentary elections, the country's electoral commission announced early Oct. 27 that the ruling Georgian Dream party had won 54 percent of the vote with 99 percent of precincts counted. The electoral commission ordered a partial recount of the vote before once again certifying the result.
On Nov. 30, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili asserted that she would not leave office when her term ends in December, claiming that the country's parliament is "illegitimate" and the Oct. 26 elections were "stolen." Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, former chairman of the Georgian Dream party, has accused the political opposition of planning a revolution.
