Gedevan Popkhadze, one of the leaders of the "Coalition for Change," continues a hunger strike along with several activists. Popkhadze, like the hunger-striking activists, remains in front of Parliament to this day.

As Popkhadze told InterpressNews, the release of political prisoners and the appointment of new, fair elections are the two main issues that have no alternative.

According to his assessment, Bidzina Ivanishvili has "put the country in his pocket" and looks at the population as slaves. Popkhadze said that "slave revolts end very badly."

"I believe there is no other way out for the country. 'Georgian Dream' has decided to remain in power forever, never change, and ban any party with a rating above 5%. This creates no perspective for the country's development. We simply won't have a future. They are killing the main foundation of political development—this is competition. When you say you don't want competitive parties and only want opposition parties that applaud you, that party may not interest 50% of the population. If I don't like 'Dream,' I want something else in its place. The last local elections were not elections; they were not competitive. If all this ends like this, the country will have no future; society will go toward escalation, and everyone will understand that one group, through its leader Bidzina Ivanishvili, has 'put the country in its pocket.' They earn billions, enjoy all benefits, and look at the rest of the population as slaves. Slave revolts end very badly. Such a social configuration should not exist in the country. Since they are going this way, I think the main way out today is the appointment of new and fair elections. They must admit that they cannot become monopolists in the political process. Therefore, political prisoners and new, fair elections are the two issues that have no alternative. We cannot live in a country where there is only one opinion in Parliament, elected through illegal, rigged elections, and where there are not dozens but already hundreds of political prisoners. Such a reality is destructive in every way. I think an additional argument was needed, and one of the traditional arguments of protest is a hunger strike—when a person says that for this demand, I am ready to lose and sacrifice a lot, but it is worth it to me. If the country is losing its future, it seems many have not fully realized this yet," Gedevan Popkhadze stated.

For reference, Gedevan Popkhadze resorted to the extreme form of protest yesterday and began a hunger strike. Along with the opposition leader, Darejan Tskhvitaria and several other activists declared a hunger strike. According to Popkhadze, currently 4 people are on hunger strike. Their demand is "the release of political prisoners and the appointment of new parliamentary elections."