Georgia: Saakashvili supporters rally in Tbilisi
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 19 April 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Georgia: Saakashvili supporters rally in Tbilisi, 19 April 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/519a6b863b.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 19, 2013
The rally by the United National Movement party in Tbilisi attracted a few thousand people on April 19.
TBILISI – Several thousand people have rallied in central Tbilisi in support of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The demonstrators at the April 19 rally waved Georgian, European Union, and NATO flags and chanted the president's name.
Speakers from the podium talked about creating a new national movement that can be an effective opposition force.
Saakashvili's United National Movement lost October's general vote to the Georgian Dream bloc led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, who became prime minister.
Ahead of the rally, Ivanishvili's party accused Saakashvili of wasting government money on foreign trips.
Saakashvili rejected the criticism, saying that it helped boost the country's prestige and attract investment.
Georgia is scheduled to hold a presidential election in October.
Based on reporting by AP, civil.ge, and RFE/RL
Link to original story on RFE/RL website