Protesters demand Interior Minister to resign while PM attends folk festival Beshumoba
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Tuesday, August 6
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze attended the celebration of Beshumoba, a folk festival celebrated in the mountainous resort of Beshumi, Adjara region.
The Head of Government wished the attending audience joyful celebrations and thanked them for preserving beautiful ancient traditions. PM also talked about Georgian traditions and noted that “our ancient traditions – hospitality, the sanctity of the family, and everything standing for solidarity-define the beauty of our country.”
“I am happy to see that these beautiful traditions are equally important to the younger and the elder, who have preserved these traditions for us. You exemplify the unbreakable Georgian spirit, these mountains testify to your strong roots, and we join you in continuing these beautiful traditions,” noted Bakhtadze.
He also talked about the important projects that are being implemented in the region. “We have launched numerous activities to ensure equal development in every region of Georgia. We are implementing many projects in Zemo Adjara, such as building schools, kindergartens, and roads, developing athletic infrastructure, and installing gas supply systems,” stressed the head of the Government.
The Prime Minister praised the Khulo-Zarzma road as a project of historical importance, one that is already under construction to be implemented even faster in the future, he added.
“You also have Tornike Rizhavadze, an energetic young Chair of Government, born and raised here, and I am confident that together we, with your support, will succeed in actualizing all our ideas. I am confident about that, and I guarantee it,” the Prime Minister noted.
The Prime Minister, together with the Chair of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and representatives of the Khulo Municipality, visited an exhibition of local products and athletic events, including traditional horse races.
Representatives of the United National Movement (UNM) held a protest rally in Beshumi in parallel to the official celebration of the public holiday.
Protesters were demanding the Interior Minister, Giorgi Gakharia to resign, after Bakhtadze left the celebration, activists stopped protesting.
Protests in Tbilisi started more than a month ago; one of the demands of the activists is the resignation of Gakharia.
Tornike Rizhvadze, Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, called the protesters “irresponsible parasites, who are trying to disrupt the public celebration.”
The annual Beshumoba Festival is traditionally held on the first weekend of August in the Beshumi resort, Khulo Municipality.
