‘No to traitor Salome Zurabishvili’ - Demonstration in Gori

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli 

Georgian Dream supported presidential candidate Salome Zurabishvili organized meetings with the electorate in three municipalities of Shida Kartli region in the frame of her pre-election campaign on October 12.

Zurabishvili’s meetings with the electorate started with noise in Khashuri and Gori; the meeting was calmer in Kareli. Civil activist Zaza Mekhrishvili was not allowed to attend the meeting with the candidate in Khashuri. 

“Why Salome Zurabishvili is saying that Georgia started the [August] war? I just wanted to ask this question but was not allowed to attend the meeting,” Zaza Mekhrishvili said.

Salome Zurabishvili did not say anything about the Russian-Georgian war in Khashuri; she mostly spoke about the regional development.

“In the 21st century a country will not be strong unless it stands upon the strong regions. The country, which is only the capital and everything rolls around the capital, is not a strong country and it is one of the lowest levels of development. Development of the regions will be one of my top duties,” Zurabishvili told voters in Khashuri.

Before Salome Zurabishvili arrived in Gori Drama Theater, the representatives of the United Opposition arrived there and started an action. They had banners and were shouting: “Abkhazia is not gangrene!” “No to traitor Salome Zurabishvili,” “Russia is occupant”. Because of this protest, the presidential candidate did not enter the theater from the main entrance and used back door. 

“It is shameful and betrayal statement what Salome Zurabishvili said, as if Georgia started the war. After these statements, she dared to arrive in the region and the city, which was direct target of the Russian aggression in 2008,” the member of the Gori municipality council from the United National Movement Beka Korchilava said.

Salome Zurabishvili mostly discussed her statements about Russian-Georgian war during the meeting with the electorate in Gori. She said Russia launched the war and Russia is aggressor country, however, she again criticized the third president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili and his government for getting involved in the military operations. 

“In relation with Russia, we must not stay alone. We need the support of the EU and NATO to negotiate with Russia. Otherwise, the direct talks with Russia will never be successful,” Zurabishvili told people in Gori.

Salome Zurabishvili finalized her pre-election tour in Shida Kartli region on October 16 with her meeting in Kaspi municipality.