A large protest that began at Tbilisi State University culminated in a march to the Georgian parliament building, with demonstrators demanding new and free parliamentary elections and the release of prisoners of conscience. The rally drew wide participation and reflected ongoing dissatisfaction with the current political climate.
Representatives of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) joined the demonstration. Petre Tsiskarishvili, one of the party’s leaders, emphasized that the UNM’s acting members of the Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) were present, signaling the party’s strong opposition to the October 4 elections, which Tsiskarishvili described as a “Russian special operation.”
“Participation in it is in Ivanishvili’s interests,” he said, referring to the ruling party’s influential founder. “Our members are firm in their stance — we should not take such a step or make such a mistake.”
Tsiskarishvili also criticized the decisions of the Lelo and Gakharia-for Georgia parties to participate in the vote, calling it a betrayal of democratic principles under current conditions.
“We are politicians, and we will participate in elections only if they are fair, free, and held in a competitive environment without political prisoners,” he said. “We’ve preserved electoral number 5 because it is a part of our political identity. We will run in the next genuine elections. October 4 is not an election — it is a special operation, and it is regrettable if others choose to be part of it.”
