OPPOSITION KICKS OFF DAY OF PROTEST, OKRUASHVILI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 002719

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR DAS BRYZA AND EUR/CARC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM GG
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION KICKS OFF DAY OF PROTEST, OKRUASHVILI
LEAVES GEORGIA


Classified By: Ambassador John F. Tefft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Protesters arrived from outside Tbilisi on
November 1 in anticipation of the November 2 opposition rally
at the Parliament Building. Media reported that police in
various Western Georgian districts were taking measures to
block roads or confiscate drivers' licenses to prevent
protesters from reaching Tbilisi. The government has vowed
to protect the rights of the rally attendees to demonstrate,
and called for peaceful protest. By 2:30 p.m. on November 2,
the official start of the protest, an estimated 30-50,000
people were in front of the Parliament, thronging Rustaveli
Avenue. The crowd is calm, and many people from the regions
succeeded in reaching Tbilisi. Demonstrators are carrying
party flags, but hearing speeches is difficult if one is not
close to the Parliament building. Badri Patarkatsishvili
will not attend the rally. Patarkatsishvili told the
Ambassador he does not want violence and sought his advice in
a call on the morning of November 2. Irakli Okruashvili will
not attend the rally either. The government granted
permission for Okruashvili to go to France for unspecified
medical treatment on November 1. When he arrived in Munich
he changed his plans and did not go on to Paris. His
whereabouts are unknown at this time. Opposition leaders
claim he was threatened with arrest in order to force his
departure. End Summary.

Protesters Arrive From Regions, Rumors of Roadblocks
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2. (U) Opposition supporters began arriving in Tbilisi on
November 1 in advance of demonstrations called by the United
Opposition for November 2. At 23:00 a small crowd had
gathered in front of the Parliament Building but had
dispersed by 3:00 a.m. Imedi TV, owned by Patarkatsishvili,
ran live footage in the evening showing cars and minibuses
arriving from the western districts. Republican Party MP
David Berdzenishvili claimed at least a thousand cars would
arrive from Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Akhaltsikhe in Western
Georgia and Kakheti in the East. Media reports said police
had blocked the Chakvi tunnel, the most direct route from the
West to Tbilisi, and had put up concrete barricades in the
town of Chakvi. The television showed individuals moving the
concrete barricades to allow cars to pass. There were other
media reports of nails placed in the road to Tbilisi from
Zugdidi and confiscation of drivers licenses by police.


3. (U) Imedi TV has devoted the bulk of its coverage to
opposition leaders. MP Gia Torladze, a member of
Okruashvili's party, said the protests would continue if the
demands of the opposition were not met. Conservative MP Koba
Davitashvili stressed the need for dialogue, but remained
critical of the government in his statements. Salome
Zurabichvili and Shalva Natelashvili also were drumming up
support in the press for the November 2 rally. The
Industrialists announced they would participate, but the New
Rightists said they planned to stay out of the protest unless
"forced" to join.


4. (U) Unofficial estimates put the number of participants at
between 30 and 50 thousand by the official 2:30 p.m. start
time of the protest on Rustaveli Avenue in downtown Tbilisi,
centering on the Parliament Building. The crowd is calm, and
content mostly to stand around talking. Although it is mixed
in age, older Georgians predominate. Many are from outside
of Tbilisi. Because of the size of the crowd, it is
difficult to hear speeches from the front of the Parliament.
Only a few hand-lettered signs are in evidence, but many
supporters are carrying their parties' flags through the
streets. Crowd control is good and security is relaxed;
police are holding back from the streets themselves.

Government Response to Protest
--------------


5. (U) Police have sealed off streets and areas surrounding
central Tbilisi's Rustaveli Avenue in fulfillment of the
city's pledge to provide security at the rally. Government
representatives have stressed that such a protest is the
"right of the people" but Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava called
the opposition rally an "untalented attempt to imitate the
2003 (Rose Revolution)." He also said the government will
protect the people's rights. Speaker Nino Burjanadze called
on protesters with "genuine concerns" not to pander to the
interests of those who seek to destabilize the government.

Okruashvili Leaves Georgia
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TBILISI 00002719 002 OF 002



6. (C) Irakli Okruashvili left Georgia on November 1,
arriving in Munich en route to France. However, he changed
his itinerary in Munich and his current whereabouts are
unknown. The General Prosecutor's office released a
statement November 1 stating Okruashvili was granted
permission to leave Georgia to seek unspecified medical
treatment. Eka Beselia, Okruashvili's attorney and a member
of Movement for United Georgia, said Okruashvili had planned
to attend the rally but the government forced him to leave
Georgia and had threatened him with arrest.

Patarkatsishvili Will Not Attend Rally
--------------


7. (C) Badri Patarkatsishvili said he would not attend the
November 2 rally. He insists he will only finance a
constitutional change of power, as "Georgia cannot survive
another revolution." At 2:00 p.m. on November 2, as the
demonstration was beginning, Patarkatsishvili called the
Ambassador to tell him directly that he would only pursue
change through constitutional means. He asked the Ambassador
for his advice if the crowd gets out of control. The
Ambassador repeated what Assistant Secretary Fried had said
to the opposition and the government as well as at the
Tbilisi Summit Conference on November 1: The United States
supports dialogue and we hope there will be no violence. By
his call, Patarkatsishvili seemed to be trying to avoid
responsibility for whatever happens at the protest.
TEFFT