Such statements are unacceptable, especially from a military serviceman. Yesterday was a peaceful demonstration, though there were groups that had the objective to stage a provocation and turn to violence, Parliament Chairman Shalva Papuashvili responded to United National Movement member Devi Chankotadze, who stated that “this will all end very badly if even a single person dies at the demonstration.

As the Chairman of the Parliament noted, Chankotadze’s statement was a slip of the tongue that indicated with whom the aggression might originate. According to him, the leaders of the National Movement are calling on the participants of the demonstration to engage in violence.

“What does it mean, ‘if something happens?’ What was ultimately taking place caught my attention in the evening. Yesterday, we saw that there was a peaceful demonstration, the police were protecting the security of the demonstration, everything was taking place as befits Georgian protest movements. And there were groups that had the objective to stage a provocation and turn to violence, and we saw what they did in the end – picketing. It was the same leaders of the National Movement that led this demonstration. When they see that a peaceful demonstration by the citizens of Georgia is taking place, they immediately start calling for a siege, picketing, violence. The Ministry of Internal Affairs repeatedly pointed out that their responsibility is to ensure the operation of the Parliament. Therefore, let the protesters demonstrate and let the Parliament work – one should not interfere with the other,” Shalva Papuashvili stated.