Ivanishvili Calls for Large Turnout for May 27 Rally

A planned rally on May 27, that will mark formal launch of election campaign of the Georgian Dream opposition coalition, should serve as a show of force which will help to ease victory in the parliamentary elections this October, leader of the coalition Bidzina Ivanishvili said.

“This is a very serious day for us and I want to sincerely request each and everyone to turn out at the rally; the more people come, the easier it will be to gain victory; the more strength we will show, the more Saakashvili will retreat and it will be easier for us to win the elections in October,” Ivanishvili told Kavkasia TV on May 24.

Georgian Dream activists and supporters will start gathering on three separate locations in Tbilisi – Park of Vake; Boris Paichadze Stadium and Avlabari 1pm on May 27, before marching towards the Freedom Square where the rally is planned at 3pm local time.

Zviad Dzidziguri, leader of Conservative Party, part of the Georgian Dream, said on May 25, that the coalition was in contact with the Tbilisi city municipality officials for organizational issues.

The Georgian Dream says that it expects people to turn out in large numbers at the rally, filling not only Freedom Square but also spilling over into part of Rustaveli Avenue up to the Parliament building, about 300 meters from the Freedom Square. For that purpose, Dzidziguri said, large screens would be installed outside the Parliament so that participants of the rally were able to watch the broadcast from the Freedom Square.