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Government-led rally, November 18 |
As soon as the opposition’s rallies in Tbilisi lost momentum, authorities took advantage and stages pro-Shevardnadze demonstration outside the Parliament.
While the opposition prepares for peaceful march on the President’s office, scheduled for the nearest days, around 7 thousand supporters of President Shevardnadze and Aslan Abashidze, the Adjarian leader, rallied today in the center of the capital city.
Several thousands of supporters of the Revival Union, led by Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze, arrived today in Tbilisi from Adjara Autonomous Republic to participate in the rally. Leaders of the pro-presidential election bloc For New Georgia and Industry Will Save Georgia party also participate in the meeting.
A crowd of around 7 thousand people marched from the Sport Palace towards the Parliament building, where week ago tens of thousands protesters demanded Shevardnadze’s resignation. However, number of protesters halved by the evening.
The government-led rally was dominated by anti-opposition slogans and speeches. Participants of the rally also slammed Rustavi 2 TV channel “for backing the opposition.” Participants were criticizing especially Mikheil Saakashvili, a key opposition leader, calling him “fascist and extremist.”