Opposition slams ruling party rally in Tbilisi

The opposition mayoral candidate in Poti, former Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava, has slammed the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling party for its recent account of a ‘large assembly of supporters’ in Tbilisi on October 27, ahead of Saturday’s municipal election run-offs. 

“The government which starts communication with rallies, is destined for failure,” Ugulava said, who believes that the GD rally is a counter rally to the United National Movement (UNM) opposition demonstration in the capital Tbilisi on October 14.  

The GD member Shalva Papuashvili says that only the opposition does not have the right to assemble supporters.  

“It will be a large-scale gathering and the opposition is afraid of the reality. It is better for them to sit and watch the rally and get a prior message on their failure in the run-offs,” Papuashvili said.  

The GD party head Irakli Kobakhidze stated earlier today that it will be a ‘summarising assembly of  the ruling party supporters to show the power of the Georgian people who are fighting against the evil (United National Movement opposition).’  

Kobakhidze said that the assembly ‘is no counter rally’ to the UNM’s recent demonstration.  

He has urged voters to support the GD candidates in election run-offs to ensure their ‘decisive victory’ in the battle that will be the ‘end of the UNM.’  

The run-offs will take place in 20 of 64 election constituencies on October 30.