Gakharia, leader of the "For Georgia" party, was beaten up in Batumi

The leader of the opposition party "For Georgia" and former prime minister of the Transcaucasian republic Giorgi Gakharia was attacked in the Georgian city of Batumi. This was reported by the Ambebi newspaper on January 15.

According to it, the politician was beaten up in Sheraton hotel and then the injured Gakharia was taken to a clinic.

The publication quotes a statement by party member Natia Mezvrishvili, who blames the ruling Georgian Dream for organizing the crime and draws attention to the political struggle between the two parties.

Doctor Tako Shantadze, who treated Gakharia at the hospital, said he suffered a fractured nasal bone and a concussion.

"Clinical, laboratory and instrumental tests have been carried out. <...> Hemodynamics are stable, the patient was discharged from the hospital on his own accord," the medic said, her words quoted by Mtavari TV channel.

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Earlier, on June 1, 2024, the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, founded by former President Mikheil Saakashvili, reported that its central office in Tbilisi was attacked by more than 100 people and pogromed there. Within half an hour, unknown people damaged the facade of the office, smashed windows and broke various equipment.

On May 14, the Georgian Parliament adopted the law on foreign agents in the third and final reading. 84 MPs voted in favor, 30 against. During the discussion of the draft document, the parliament had to suspend the session because MPs from the majority and opposition United National Movement started a fight. Then-President Salome Zurabishvili later stated that she intends to veto the adopted draft law. However, the MPs overrode it by majority of votes.

The work on the bill triggered a wave of protests that began in April. On the day of its adoption, a large number of demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament and were pressed by the police. After that, the demonstrators broke through the cordon.