Ministry of Internal Affairs: Irakli Pavlenishvili was informed that Europe Square and Rike Park are key locations for the "Tbilisoba" festival; he was advised to consider the advisability of changing the venue or time of the planned gathering

The notification submitted on September 25, 2026, by Irakli Pavlenishvili—Chairman of the Governing Board of the United National Movement—did not comply with legal requirements and lacked information mandated by law. This is the response from the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding Pavlenishvili's statement; he had announced plans to hold a rally in Rike Park on October 1 demanding the release of Mikheil Saakashvili but stated that the Ministry had refused permission for the event.

As the agency explains, the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not issue permits for holding assemblies or demonstrations; its primary function is to strike a balance between the freedom of assembly or demonstration and the rights of individuals who live, work, or conduct business in the areas where such events take place.

Furthermore, the Ministry states that the Law of Georgia "On Assemblies and Demonstrations" mandates prior notification to the Ministry if an assembly or demonstration is held in a location used by pedestrians or vehicles, or if it obstructs their movement. Consequently, the responsible party is required to submit a formal, signed notification to the Patrol Police Department, containing the data and information prescribed by law. The notification submitted on September 25, 2026, by Irakli Pavlenishvili, Chairman of the Governing Council of the United National Movement, was not drafted in accordance with legal requirements and lacked information mandated by law—specifically:

- The statement (notification) did not specify the estimated number of assembly participants;

- Furthermore, the notification was not signed by Besarion Gedenidze, the person responsible for organizing and conducting the assembly/demonstration, which constitutes a mandatory requirement under Article 8, Paragraph 4 of the Law of Georgia "On Assemblies and Demonstrations."

Additionally, the Patrol Police provided a written explanation to Irakli Pavlenishvili stating that "Tbilisoba 2026" events would be held at various locations in Tbilisi on October 3–4, 2026, with Europe Square and Rike Park serving as key venues.

In light of the above, the relevant departments of Tbilisi City Hall have already begun preparations for the 'Tbilisoba' festival events; consequently, to ensure that the planned gathering or demonstration does not disrupt the normal operations of agencies, enterprises, institutions, and organizations, nor impede the movement of traffic or pedestrians, or infringe upon other human rights and freedoms, the organizers were advised to consider the feasibility of changing the location and/or time of the event," the Ministry of Internal Affairs explained.

For context, Irakli Pavlenishvili, Chairman of the National Movement’s governing council, stated that they had planned to hold a rally in Rike Park on October 1st—marking five years since the imprisonment of the third president, Mikheil Saakashvili—but received a refusal from the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding the event.

He added that, despite this, they still intend to gather at the "Rike Tubes" (Rike Park landmark) on October 1st at 5:00 PM.