April 9, 2009 Protests in Georgia
On this Day: In Tbilisi, Georgia, up to 60,000 people protested against the government of former President Mikheil Saakashvili. The country of Georgia has a habit of inciting large-scale political action on April 9. Not only is April 9 the country’s independence – gained from the Soviet Union in 1991 – it is also the day that the Tbilisi Massacre took place in 1989.
On April 9, 2009, the people of Georgia were not attempting to secede from a failing Communist state, nor were they victims of a brutal Soviet response to a peaceful protest and hunger strike. Instead, the people of Georgia were protesting the government created as a result of President Saakashvili’s second term in office.
The controversy surrounding Saakashvili’s second term can be traced back to his primary term in office. As a result of the bloodless Rose Revolution, that culminated with the resignation of former President Eduard Shevardnadze on November 23, 2003, the people of Georgia held an election that resulted with a staggering 96 per cent of citizens pledging their votes to Saakashvili. Promising an end to corruption and an increase in wages for all, Saakashvili was seen as the obvious choice.
Saakashvili’ next few months, and indeed years, in office proved to be highly successful, and his government was able to deal with a number of local and foreign crises to wild public approval. As a result of growing unrest in the opposition government, as well as key members of his government raising questions regarding his power and intentions, Saakashvili was forced to hold early presidential elections to appease his critics. Saakashvili was once again elected as the President of Georgia, but his time in office was still marred with political turmoil and disagreement with his opposition.
The tension culminated in the April 9 protests when members of the opposition demonstrated against Saakashvili’s elected position. While the protest was eventually disbanded, members of the police claimed that the opposition not only attempted to incite an armed mutiny, but that they had the intention of assassinating President Saakashvili. The opposition vehemently denied these claims.