By Georgy Kalatozishvili, exclusively to VK
“We are starting” – this is the slogan that the opposition coalition “Georgian dream” headed by multi-billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili put forward for his ‘grandiose protest rally’ on May 27 in Tbilisi. The opposition figure tried to demonstrate that the capital is on his side. The rally started at the Freedom Square, where the ‘rose revolution’ of 2003 started. The choice of time was also not accidental: at the same time (15:00) on November, 22, 2003 Mikhail Saakashvili put forward his ‘final ultimatum’. However, this time there were no ultimatums and the rally pursued only election campaigning purposes. The “Georgian dream” isn’t planning a new revolution, but is getting ready to the autumn parliamentary election. Ivanishvili hopes to take power in a peaceful manner – for the first time in Georgian history.
Some 100,000 Tbilisi residents came to support the protest action. It seems that these are the same people who took the streets in 2007-2009, even though back then the rallies didn’t have any effect on the power. After that the public realized the necessity of prolonged and attentive pre-election work and execution of ‘local’ pressure on the power. And the organization of peaceful protest demonstration is one of such means.
During the many-thousand demonstration Ivanishvili voiced the main aspects of his election program: universal medical insurance, support to the agriculture, creation of new jobsites, settlement of the conflict with Russia and Georgia’s entry into NATO. Each thesis was met by the crowd with a great ovation.
The rally ended with Ivanishvili’s address and no other opposition leaders spoke to the crowd: it was obvious that the people came there to listen to Ivanishvili, who got additional ‘points’ by that. And it is noteworthy that his coalition comrades accepted these ‘rules of the game’ in the name of defeating the ruling party.
Ivanishvili demonstrated his potential by this multi-thousand rally in the very heart of the ‘revolution Tbilisi’ not only to the government, but also to all the hesitant voters, which constitute a half of the whole Georgian electorate. The other half are devoted partisans of the President or the opposition, so it seems that it is the ‘hesitant’ part of the electorate that will define the political fate of Georgia in the upcoming elections.
Fortunately, no one advocates the revolutionary approach anymore, and all the rival parties strive for the hearts – and the votes – of the electors.
