Georgia: 'United National Movement' supporters hold protest in Zugdidi

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Supporters and leaders of the ‘United National Movement’ held a protest in support of its founder Mikheil Saakashvili in Zugdidi Saturday.

The protesters gathered in the city centre holding Georgian flags and candles. The rally heard chants such as ‘Freedom for Mikheil Saakashvili’ and ‘Long Live Georgia.’ Protesters also observed a minute of silence in memory of those killed in the collapse of a residential building in Batumi.

The participants also marched to the district commission building, around which police had already lined up.

Zugdidi is one of the Georgian cities where the ‘United National Movement’s’ mayoral candidate, Anzor Melia, got 46.88 percent of the vote. His rival from the ruling party, Mamuka Tsotseria, got 41.15 percent. The candidates will meet in the second round of the election.

The party also scored high in the Sakrebulo elections. However, party representatives remained dissatisfied with the results of the majoritarian elections, where they lost some seats after the recount at the district commission.

Mikheil Saakashvili was detained in Georgia on 1 October. Earlier the former president said that he intended to return to the country from Ukraine in time for the October election.

He was put on a domestic wanted list as he was sentenced in absentia on connections to the murder case of banker Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of MP Valeri Gelashvili. Authorities have repeatedly said they would detain the politician at a border crossing.

SOUNDBITES:

SOT, Genca Shelia, protester (Georgian): “The reason for our presence today is that our country is collapsing. We want to avoid what we are seeing at this stage. It’s disgusting. And I don’t want to raise my children, my nephews in such a country. I do not want to live in a ruined country. I want normal life to return. I want my people to have freedom of speech, to be able to say what they want”. *LOOSE TRANSLATION*

#Zugdidi #Georgia

Video ID: 20211009-044

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