Opposition Lelo party’s Kupradze and Elisashvili threaten citywide paralysis in Tbilisi with protests and strikes if elected

Irakli Kupradze, the candidate of the opposition Lelo party for Tbilisi mayor, has pledged that if elected, he will organise protest rallies on Rustaveli Avenue every evening.

Kupradze also announced that 40,000 public servants would be “set free” under his leadership.

“I promise you, as an opposition, pro-Western mayor of Tbilisi, I will do everything without fear to stand up to the Russian Government and Russian city hall. This does not apply to employees who competently perform their duties. Let us imagine that from October 5, an opposition, pro-Western mayor schedules a rally every evening - I will schedule such rallies to gain support. And 40,000 public servants will be free”, Kupradze said.

Aleko Elisashvili, Kupradze’s running mate for deputy mayor, added that in the event of Kupradze’s victory, municipal workers’ strikes would be organized.

“If we wake up in Tbilisi where Kupradze is mayor and the opposition holds a majority in the city council, won’t that be a completely different Georgia? The next day, Kupradze will come out and say: let’s organize strikes, let’s fight. Just imagine municipal services going on strike”, Elisashvili noted.