In Tbilisi, Georgia, the elected Parliament was officially seated and opened today, despite the attempts of demonstrators to disrupt the new government. Hundreds of demonstrators had gathered overnight, vowing to disrupt the opening and hundreds of police deployed to protect the building. In a statement late Sunday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs warned protesters that blocking strategic buildings such as the parliament is against the law and may result in criminal prosecution: “We warn the participants and organizers of the planned rally not to go beyond the legal framework of assemblies/demonstrations and to refrain from illegal actions. Otherwise, the police will take all necessary legal measures to prevent them.”
The Georgia Dream (GD) party won 54% of the vote and 88 of the 150 seats in Parliament, while four opposition parties received around 9-11% apiece—or around 38% for their loose coalition. GD has issues with Russia and the West and wants to remain neutral. That includes joining the EU but not submitting to Brussel’s demand of a confrontational approach to Russia. Matters escalated when the previous parliament enacted a law to require organizations to report when foreign agencies fund at least 20% of their operations.
