UNM member Parulava says October 4 will mark ‘peaceful overthrow’ of regime: ‘no one should be afraid, everyone must come’

Lasha Parulava, a member of the opposition United National Movement’s Political Council, on Sunday urged supporters to take to the streets on October 4, saying the planned demonstration will be a “peaceful overthrow” of what he called Bidzina Ivanishvili’s “regime.”

“October 4 will be the day the Georgian people defeat the regime - a peaceful overthrow,” Parulava told reporters. “No one should be afraid. Everyone must come. Strength lies in unity, and on October 4 we will celebrate the victory of the Georgian people.” He said he will attend the rally with his family and called for participants to carry the five-cross national flag.

Parulava also criticised visible security preparations in the capital, saying deployment of special forces shows the Government’s fear of the planned mobilisation. He urged law-enforcement officers to remain law-abiding and said those who refuse to use force against peaceful demonstrators should be rewarded and protected - remarks framed by him as an appeal to “every conscientious police officer” to act with integrity.

The UNM member reiterated claims that Levan Khabeishvili, the party’s Political Council Chair, was detained by the State Security Service and alleged that the judge who ordered Khabeishvili’s pretrial detention has a spouse employed by that agency - a charge Parulava said demonstrated politicisation of the judiciary.