Protesters fail to block Tbilisi's main street for first time in year, Georgian PM says

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that for the first time in a year, “radicals” have failed to block Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Street, which he says indicates that new legislation aimed at curbing such actions has begun to take effect.

Kobakhidze emphasised the need to eliminate what he described as “radicalism” in Georgia, arguing that a small group of “around fifty radicals” cannot pose a threat to the country’s population of 3.7 million. He noted that despite efforts to mobilise protesters, fewer than 300 people gathered on Rustaveli Avenue, the main protest site in Tbilisi, which he said reflects a lack of genuine public support, Caliber.Az reports per Georgian media. 

“For the first time in a year, radicals have been unable to block a street, indicating that the new law has come into force,” Kobakhidze told journalists. “This is not a protest. When even 300 people cannot be mobilised on Rustaveli Avenue, despite full mobilisation efforts, it signifies that this is not a protest. It is a radical rally funded from abroad. A mere 300 Georgian citizens have come out, and of course, this cannot be called a protest. We cannot be forced to label something as a protest when it is not genuinely one.” 

He also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the ongoing detentions of protesters, stating that approximately 20-25 individuals are detained daily for attempting to block the street.

Kobakhidze further accused what he called the radical opposition of being coordinated by foreign agents and claimed that society has shown its rejection of radicalism and foreign interference through consistent support for the ruling party. He cited election results, noting that over 1,100,000 citizens voted for the ruling party in consecutive elections.

Since November 28, 2024, protesters have been blocking Rustaveli Avenue daily in response to the government’s announcement of postponing Georgia’s EU application. The government has responded with various measures to discourage the protests, including fines that increased from ₾500 ($180) to ₾5,000 ($1,800) and later the introduction of imprisonment for first offenses related to road blockades.

Despite these measures, the protests have continued nightly. On October 22, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that around 20 protesters were administratively detained for attempting to block the road.

By Sabina Mammadli