TBILISI, January 13. /TASS/. While Georgian citizens are free to express their opinion, no one will be allowed to incite a revolution, Kakha Kaladze, Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party and Mayor of Tbilisi, said.
"Anyone can express his or her opinion peacefully. However, when it comes to violence and the desire to stage a revolution or a coup, let me say: no way, my friends," he told journalists.
He stressed that his party won the parliamentary elections on October 26, 2024 and called on the opposition to accept its defeat. "We have a state and there will be no revolutions. We have elections and power can be changed through them. You lost the elections. The Georgian people defeated you. As many as 1,200,000 people supported peace and said no to fascism," Kaladze said, adding that opposition activists are also Georgian citizens and must abide by national laws. Otherwise, they will answer for their actions, he warned.
Another wave of protests was sparked by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's statement on November 28 when he said that the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party had decided to postpone any talk about launching accession negotiations until late 2028 and decline any funding from the European Union. According to the premier, the decision comes after repeated attempts by the EU to blackmail Georgia with promises of launching the talks in exchange for Tbilisi revoking certain laws passed by the country’s parliament, and calls for sanctions against Georgian authorities.
Ever since, protests rallies have been held annually in Tbilisi and other large cities in the country. During the first week, protests grew into clashes with the police who used water cannons and tear gas. In recent weeks, the protests have been held peacefully.