TBILISI. May 10 (Interfax) - Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze published an open letter on social media, calling on young people who are "earnestly" protesting against the adoption of the foreign influence transparency bill by the parliament to take a critical look at their previous steps in order to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
"I am deeply convinced that we should act based not on the demand of young people who believe in their truth, but as demanded by more than 200,000 people who came to the Georgian Dream rally on April 29," Kobakhidze said.
The authorities' policies today have the support of over 60% of the Georgian population, he said.
"I ask all earnest young people to realize how important it is to head into Europe with dignity. Georgia will become a worthy member of the European Union by 2030 as an independent, sovereign state," Kobakhidze said.
Meanwhile, young people are preparing to stage massive protests this coming weekend, including steps to encircle the parliament building by Monday, when MPs are due to start debating the foreign influence transparency bill in the third reading. The protest organizers have called on their supporters to come to Rustaveli Avenue overnight into Monday with tents and sleeping bags.
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is serving a six-year prison term in the Vivamedi private clinic in Tbilisi, has also added to the overall instability by saying on social media that "it's no use waiting for the upcoming parliamentary elections in October, but it's necessary to take the situation in their hands as early as today."
Saakashvili also said on social media that it was necessary to set up an interim, technical government that would hold the upcoming elections.