Tbilisi Mayor and Secretary General of Georgian Dream, Kakha Kaladze, announced that the capital's main Christmas tree will be lit today, December 16, without a ceremonial event.
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At a briefing at City Hall, Kaladze stated that “aggressive groups led by the radical opposition are doing everything they can to prevent the festive mood from reaching the capital.”
“In early December, we used to turn on the New Year’s lights in Tbilisi and light the main Christmas tree. This time, however, the illuminations will be turned on this evening, and the main Christmas tree of the capital will be lit without any ceremony.”
“New Year is everyone’s favorite public holiday, and no one will be allowed to take away the feeling of joy and happiness from our children and fellow citizens.
Tbilisi will be the most beautiful New Year’s city. We will have many festive events, and during these days, as we move into the new year of 2025, we will meet as we deserve - with new victories, hope for peace, and development,” said Kakha Kaladze.
The Mayor of Tbilisi had postponed the planned Christmas tree lighting event on December 14, responding to peaceful demonstrators and President Salome Zourabichvili’s statement, claiming she had information that protesters were planning a provocation.
“Aggressive groups threw glass bottles and other heavy objects at the stage where children were supposed to go to light the Christmas tree... Radicals have been spreading fear among the population all day to prevent children from going to Rustaveli Avenue, and parents who came with their children were severely provoked in front of them. What else can we call this, if not liberal fascism?”
The day before the planned event, Salome Zourabichvili [...] even dared to say that Rustaveli Avenue was soaked with gas and that it was dangerous for children to go there. After we postponed the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, the radicals, who lost the parliamentary elections on October 26 and the presidential elections on December 14, celebrated their victory over children after their defeat,” Kaladze said.
Initially, the main Christmas tree in the capital was scheduled to be lit in front of the parliament building, where continuous protests had been taking place since November 28, and where police forces had repeatedly dispersed peaceful demonstrators. The event was set for Saturday, December 14, at 7:00 p.m. On the same day, the illegitimate parliament elected Mikheil Kavelashvili as the President of Georgia. Citizens had gathered for a peaceful demonstration since the morning, in parallel with the so-called presidential elections. Shortly before the ceremony announced by Kaladze, supporters of the Georgian Dream appeared near Rustaveli Avenue, with hundreds of police officers nearby. At 18:55, Kakha Kaladze announced at a briefing at the government administration that the Christmas tree lighting had been postponed.
