Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called the plans of Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze to hold the lighting ceremony of the main Christmas tree in the capital in parallel with a protest action at the parliament a provocation, UNN reports citing Novosti Georgia.
"This is a clear provocation, because there has been a continuous protest in this place for two weeks now, and tomorrow the protest will undoubtedly be very big, as the parody (of the presidential election) will be held in the parliament... I want to warn the mayor that his provocation will lead to nothing, because the protest will continue tomorrow, and it will be peaceful," Zurabishvili said in her TV address today.
The President noted that she considers Kaladze's calls to bring children to the holiday to be wrong, as, according to doctors, "the facades of buildings and trees on Rustaveli Street are saturated with gas" after the demonstrators were dispersed.
Zurabishvili suggested that the capital's authorities organize a New Year's celebration on December 17, the day of St. Barbara, who is considered the patron saint of children in Georgia.
As an alternative venue, the President named Orbeliani Square, not far from her residence, as a possible location. The equipment for the New Year's village is almost complete there.
Previously
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze promised to light the main Tbilisi Christmas tree on December 14.
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For two weeks now, thousands of citizens have been gathering every night on Rustaveli Street, outraged by the decision of the Georgian Dream to abandon negotiations on EU membership. On the morning of December 14, the parliament, where only the ruling party is represented, will elect a new president of Georgia.
The opposition is boycotting the process. Opponents of the government will protest in the street. At the same time, a protest on Rustavel Street is scheduled for the evening.
Georgia's State Security Service earlier announced an attempt to disrupt the presidential election. According to the agency, the opposition is allegedly planning a "sacrifice" - the deaths of 2-3 people - to intensify protests and cause a crisis in the government. Kaladze ignored the statement of the State Security Service, which reads more like a political thriller scenario.