Georgian police secure parliament building amid protests (VIDEO)

Hundreds of Georgian police officers were deployed to the capital, Tbilisi on Monday to secure the parliament building amid protests. Newly elected lawmakers are scheduled to meet for the first time after last month’s election later in the day.

Pro-Western opposition supporters flocked to the center of Tbilisi late on Suday to protest the outcome of the parliamentary election, which resulted in victory for the ruling Georgian Dream party. The party, which advocates for pragmatic relations with all neighbors including Russia, won a majority of nearly 54%. 

Last week, Georgia’s Central Electoral Commission officially ratified the election results while OSCE observers “positively assessed the elections” and found no systemic voting issues. However, the opposition and the country’s pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili, refused to recognize the results, claiming that the election was marred by vote rigging and Russian interference.

Sunday’s protest turned into a sit-in demonstration, as activists decided to stay on the streets overnight, vowing to “create discomfort” for the ruling party and prevent it from holding the parliament session.

Protesters were seen carrying EU flags and banners denouncing the ruling party. According to footage from AP, several hundred police officers have been deployed to the center of Tbilisi to keep the protesters from blocking the parliament building. Special equipment, including water cannons and tow trucks, was also deployed to the area.

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 statement read.

The Georgian Constitution demands that the first session of a newly elected parliament be held no later than ten days after the election results are officially announced. The parliament must be convened by the president, and the new parliament gains full power once two-thirds of the MPs acknowledge it. However, experts have warned that Zourabichvili may refuse to convene parliament, giver her rejection of the election results and plans to lodge an official complaint with Georgia’s Constitutional Court. Also, opposition parties that won parliament seats have refused to accept mandates for their candidates, demanding a new election.