TBILISI, November 25. /TASS/. The protest rally near the Georgian Parliament building, which lasted through the night, has ended.
The rally started last night near the parliament building, where the newly elected parliament convened for its inaugural session. The protesters set up tents and spent the entire night near the building. By morning, the police had blocked access to both sides of the parliament building to prevent protesters from obstructing lawmakers from entering. Despite the large number of policemen involved and the proximity to police lines, no clashes with the protesters took place.
Later in the day, after the parliament formally established its authority, the protesters started throwing various items at the metal barricade near the building, but no attempts to breach the barrier with heavier means were made. Amid all this, the rain started coming down hard in Tbilisi, and by nightfall, after the lawmakers left the parliament building, the protesters also dispersed.
Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on October 26. For the first time ever, electronic ballot boxes were used. According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party received 53.93% of the vote and secured 89 of Parliament's total 150 seats. Four opposition parties cleared the five-percent threshold: the Coalition for Change received 11.03% and 19 seats, the United National Movement — 10.17% and 16 seats, Strong Georgia — 8.81% and 14 seats, and Gakharia for Georgia — 7.78% and 12 seats. All opposition parties that have entered Parliament refuse to recognize the results of the elections because they believe the Central Election Commission’s data has been tampered with. Opposition leaders have been holding protest rallies since November 4.