TBILISI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2018) Dozens of vehicles belonging to Georgia's Strength is in Unity opposition coalition have departed from Tbilisi for Telavi, some 36 miles to the east of the country's capital, where President-elect Salome Zourabichvili is expected to take the oath of office on Sunday, to stage a protest in the city, the coalition's press service said.
The second round of the presidential election was held in Georgia on November 28. Zourabishvili gained 59.52 percent of the vote, while oppositionist Grigol Vashadze secured 40.48 percent. The opposition politician refused to recognize the results of the election, claiming that hundreds of thousands of votes had been bought, and called for snap parliamentary elections.
"We are heading for Telavi for a peaceful rally. Demonstrations demanding early parliamentary elections will be held in other cities of the country as well," Vashadze told reporters.
The inauguration ceremony is set to begin in Telavi at 11:00 GMT. Local media reported that police had cordoned off the square where the opposition intended to rally and closed the shortest route to the city from the country's capital, forcing the protesters to take a detour.
As shown by a live stream coverage of the situation by the Rustavi 2 broadcaster, police officers are barring the opposition's vehicles from entering the city.
The opposition members can be seen arguing with the police, who insist that the protesters may enter the city on foot but the vehicles must remain behind the cordon.
"The authorities have allegedly given us a venue for the manifestation but now we are prevented from even entering the city. This is off limits," Nika Melia, a member of the opposition, said.
According to a statement issued by the Georgian Interior Ministry, traffic has been temporarily limited inside Telavi and on the roads leading to the city for security reasons.
