UNM Member, Green Activist Scuffle after Anti-HPP Protest in Racha

A scuffle took place in a western Georgian city of Ambrolauri on July 4 between Otar Siradze, member of the United National Movement’s political council and former governor of Racha-Lechkhumi region, and Nikoloz Ghlonti, activist of civil movement Young Greens. Mariam Vatsadze, an activist of Young Greens, spread the video showing the scuffle on social media.

The video shows that following a verbal confrontation between the two men, Siradze, assisted by another man, reportedly his brother, hits Ghlonti.

The incident took place following the rally that was held to protest the construction of the HPP cascade. Initially, the UNM members also joined the rally organized by Young Greens that triggered activists’ discontent.

Otar Siradze wrote about the incident on his Facebook page a day later, condemning the incident as ”Georgian Dream’s provocation”.

“I am against any physical violence; I was trying to avoid this incident, but it had not depend on me only. I am very sorry for the fact,” he wrote.

Contrary to Siradze’s claim, Mariam Vatsadze said that the activists of Young Greens were on their way home as Otar Siradze and his brother approached them and ”attacked” Nikoloz Ghlonti.

The Interior Ministry has launched investigation into the incident under article 239 of the criminal code of Georgia involving hooliganism and punished by imprisonment for a term of up to one year.

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