Kateryna Hirnyk19:03, 13.12.24

Parliament also stripped President Salome Zurabishvili of her right to state security after her term ends on December 16.

The Georgian parliament, controlled by the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party, has fast-tracked amendments to legislation restricting participation in protests .

According to Jam News , in particular, it is now forbidden to hide faces, use pyrotechnics, lasers and flashlights at rallies. Violations are punishable by a fine of 2,000 GEL (almost 30,000 UAH). Blocking roads will be punishable by a fine of 2,000 GEL and deprivation of a driver’s license for a year.

The fine for “spoilage of the city’s appearance” – graffiti and protest inscriptions – has also been significantly increased to 1,000 GEL (14,000 UAH), and for a repeated violation – to 2,000 GEL. For demonstrations that violate the rules, the fine has increased 10 times – to 5,000 GEL, for organizers of actions – up to 15,000 GEL (210,000 UAH) or administrative arrest.

In addition, the parliament deprived President Salome Zurabishvili of the right to state protection after her term ends on December 16. An amendment to the legislation was adopted, according to which a former official will not have personal protection if the Constitutional Court confirms his violation of the Constitution or finds signs of a crime in his actions.

Zurabishvili falls precisely under these criteria, as in the spring of 2024, the Constitutional Court recognized that the president violated the Constitution when she traveled abroad for meetings with leaders of other states, despite the government’s ban.

Situation in Georgia

The elections for the new president will be held tomorrow, December 14. At the same time, according to the new rules, he will be elected by a collegium consisting of 150 deputies of the new parliament and 150 delegates from the country’s regions. At the same time, the ruling Georgian Dream party has a majority in parliament and great influence in the regions, so the new procedure leaves no chance of victory for opposition candidates.

Mriya nominated former football player Mikhail Kavelashvili for president. He accused the opposition of operating under the control of the United States, which wants to provoke a “revolution and Ukrainization” of Georgia.

At the same time, Salome Zurabishvili has already stated that she will not recognize the results of the presidential election and has refused to resign . Observers do not rule out a new intensification of opposition protests after the presidential election.

(c)UNIAN 2024