Mass protests in Georgia – political scientist Gela Vasadze on recent events

Host Irina Uzlova and Georgian political scientist Gela Vasadze discussed the latest news. Mass protests broke out in Georgia against the backdrop of local elections on 4 October. More than two thousand deputies of municipal councils and city mayors were elected, but the election process turned into large-scale street demonstrations. In Tbilisi, the opposition led thousands of people to a rally near the parliament building, demanding the resignation of the government and the return of power to the people. One of the leaders of the rally, opera singer and opposition figure Paata Burchuladze, read a declaration on the beginning of a “peaceful transition period.” The document states that the current government has lost legitimacy, and the people of Georgia must regain control of the country and resume the movement towards joining the European Union. They also discussed how Europe is reacting to the events in Georgia and whether it is ready to resist new provocations and aggression from Russia. Watch the video for more on this and other things.