Protests In Tbilisi: Georgian President Supports Protesters

However, she asked not to storm the parliament building.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has addressed the participants of the mass protest in the centre of Tbilisi. She supported the people and called not to storm the parliament building, but to cancel all anti-state laws adopted through voting at the elections.

This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the video message of the head of state.

Zurabishvili emphasised that she was standing next to the participants of the rally.

'These protests are unusual, the whole world is watching us. Today's action demonstrates the sentiment, attitude and determination of the people of Georgia. This is the greatest strength for us to win the long struggle that ends in elections, that Georgia will never be Russia!' noted the President.

The head of state also addressed 'young people with a flame in their hearts' and asked them to stop the blockade and storming of the country's legislative body.

'Leave the gates of parliament, nothing else is happening there, this law has already been passed in the second reading, and our struggle is no longer for this law. Our struggle is via elections and by cancelling all those laws that the government has recently passed and that distance us from our European path. This is our goal,' Zurabishvili said.

She added that today is Holy Week and called on the rally participants to 'stand peacefully on Rustaveli Avenue' and 'once again show the world what Georgia is, what Georgia can do and what the youth of Georgia is capable of'.

Protests in Tbilisi

In mid-April, the Georgian parliament approved the first reading of the draft law 'On Transparency of Foreign Influence'. The document introduces the status of 'foreign agents' funded and controlled by foreign organisations and foundations and is similar to a law that has been in place in Russia for many years.

Prior to the preparation of the document for the second reading, on April 30, thousands of people held a protest rally in the centre of Tbilisi, during which protesters clashed with the police.

However, despite the protests, on May 1, Georgian MPs approved the document in the second reading. After the final, third, reading, the law will be finally adopted.

On the night of May 2, thousands of Georgians blocked the exits of the parliament and tried to storm the building. The police used rubber bullets against the protesters.