Georgian opposition to make use of mistakes of the authorities: expert

Aysor.am spoke with expert in Georgian affairs Jonny Melikyan about the developments in Georgia during the past two days.

The expert said the developments in Georgia may be described as domestic political fight with the opposition actively using the mistakes of the authorities and surging anti-governmental wave of protest.

“The protest rallies continue today as well and everything depends on the actions of the authorities,” he said, adding that authorities must make conclusions from the yesterday’s protest actions and make changes in the shortest period of time to calm the situation down.

“If previously the opposition and Georgian people were dissatisfied of the domestic political issues, this time a concrete accusation was voiced that Georgia does what Russia wants,” he said, adding that this time the anti-Russian factor was used.

“After all, everyone knew that Russian delegation headed by Sergey Gavrilov would be present at the Inter-parliamentary Orthodox Assembly and would sit at the Georgian parliament speaker’s place. The authorities should have known that conduction of such event in parliament is not correct,” he said.

As to the response of the West to the usage of force by Georgian law enforcers against the protesters, the expert said the statement he saw till now were just restriction calls and non usage of radical measures.

“People were trying to occupy the parliament which is a state structure and any attempt to occupy it is viewed as an attempt of state coup. It should have received equivalent response and it was given. The situation was to be calmed down,” he said.

Asked whether there are prerequisites of state coup in Georgia, the expert said the opposition does not have such opportunity.

“Of course, there is general dissatisfaction from the authorities but it does not unite all opponents. Everything depends on the steps the authorities will undertake and the mistakes they may make,” he said, stressing that if authorities continue making mistakes the opposition will fully make use of them and undertake more extended actions.