TBILISI, September 14 – Georgia’s opposition parties gathered in Tbilisi on September 13 for a rally that passed peacefully, drawing between several hundred and up to 3,000 people, according to different estimates.
The demonstration, which started at Tbilisi State University and ended in front of parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, was joined by ex-President Salome Zurabishvili, who left office last December and has since been the opposition’s internationally most high profile face.
The protest came just weeks before a larger event planned for October 4, a date some opposition leaders have described as the start of a “peaceful revolution.” Saturday’s rally was organized by parties that have boycotted the upcoming local elections and, in part, reflected disagreements inside the opposition. Some groups opposed the United National Movement’s (UNM) decision to set a fixed date for mass action, so they staged their own demonstration on September 13 under the slogan “Defend visa-free travel.”
The event ended without incidents, and organizers called it a “decisive stage” in their campaign for early parliamentary elections.
Political analyst Petre Mamradze told Rezonansi the opposition lacks the strength to bring out big numbers, predicting that the October 4 protest will not be large. He said the September rally showed “they have no power” and compared the turnout unfavorably to past moments of political crisis.
Analyst Vakhtang Dzabiradze said the September protest was already sizable and expects a larger crowd next month. While he dismissed talk of an imminent government collapse, he predicted “a mass rally” on October 4.
The September demonstration also highlighted pressure on opposition strategy. Some leaders, including former opera singer Paata Burchuladze, have previously spoken of October 4 as a pivotal moment, but UNM leader Levan Khabeishvili, who is a key person to those plans, was arrested this week on charges of promising bribes to police officers and publicly calling for the overthrow of state authority. Despite the arrest, UNM members insist the campaign will continue.
