Night action of opponents of Namakhvani HPP results in a criminal case against them

Activists protesting against the construction of a hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in the Rioni Gorge threw stones at a metal gate installed by the police, and an investigation is underway into a case on damage to property, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 23, opponents of the construction of the Namakhvan HPP put forward an ultimatum to Georgian authorities, threatening to paralyze Tbilisi if their demands were not met. In the evening on May 24, protesters blocked Rustaveli Avenue, stating that they would not unblock it until May 26. However, on May 25, they unblocked the avenue.

The activists express their indignation about the above-mentioned investigation. “It is strange to hear a MIA’s statement about the damage to the property (iron gates) illegally installed on the Georgian land,” said Maki Suladze, one of the leaders of the protest, in the air of the “Formula” TV Channel as the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent translated from the Georgian language. Maki Suladze believes that all the police actions are aimed to intimidate the protesters.

Today, the activists have blocked the entrance to the village of Gumati. According to Varlam Goletiani, one of the organizers of the protest action, all cars may pass, except for the transport of the “Enka” Company. “The gorge will be completely blocked only for the company, while people will be not restricted in their travels,” said Varlam Goletiani as quoted by the “Georgia Online”.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 27, 2021 at 05:29 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.