The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, announced that approximately fifty rooms in the legislative building have been damaged due to the actions of protesters outside the parliament.
During a Sunday press conference, Papuashvili stated that the media footage from the scene “does not sufficiently reflect the events” and presented photos showing the damage to parliamentary facilities caused between Saturday and Sunday.
According to Papuashvili, a total of 48 rooms were affected. Nearly all windows on the lower floors facing Chichinadze Street were smashed, wooden doors on that side were burned, various equipment inside the rooms was damaged, and the parliamentary cafeteria, which also faces the street, was “completely destroyed.” He added that the external lighting of the parliament building was so severely damaged that it had to be turned off.
“The police begin using legally sanctioned special measures only after multiple warnings. The goal is not to disperse the demonstration but to stop the violence,” Papuashvili stated.
As reported, protests against the ruling “Georgian Dream” party have been ongoing in Georgia for several days. The unrest was triggered by the authorities’ announcement to suspend the process of European integration until 2028.
The protest on Sunday night ended with police dispersing the crowd and making arrests. By Monday morning, authorities reported over 200 detainees.
