Five pro-EU politicians have been detained after Saturday’s riots in Tbilisi.
Opera singer Paata Burchuladze and four other pro-EU protest organizers have been charged with inciting a riot and attempting to overthrow the government in Georgia.
Burchuladze, who had previously performed onstage with Luciano Pavarotti, is the leader of the Rustaveli Avenue protest movement. He called on supporters to “seize power” in Tbilisi on Saturday during municipal elections, which, according to the official tally, were overwhelmingly won by the ruling right-wing Georgian Dream party.
His call was backed by several opposition politicians, including Murtaz Zodelava of the United National Movement (UNM), who told the crowd to capture “the keys” to the presidential palace.
Several hours later, activists, a group carrying the flags of the US, the EU, and Ukraine stormed the president’s residence, after which police dispersed the crowd using tear gas and water cannons. Six protesters and 21 police officers were hospitalized after the clashes, the Health Ministry said.
In the early hours of Sunday, the Interior Ministry announced the arrest of Burchuladze and Zodelava, as well as Irakli Nadiradze of UNM, Paata Manjgaladze of the smaller Strategy Aghmashenebeli party, and retired Colonel Lasha Beridze.
The opposition has accused the government of vote-rigging and democratic backsliding. IT launched a wave of protests last year after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze suspended EU accession talks.
Kobakhidze claimed that the protests were guided by “foreign intelligence services” and blamed EU diplomats for fueling the unrest.
Out of Interest
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-cable-cars-of-chiatura-chiatura-georgia
https://www.journalofnomads.com/chiatura/
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chiatura+cable+cars
https://englishrussia.com/?s=Chiatura
The Georgian Town of Chiatura, located in the Imereti region was a major Soviet-era mining hub, especially known for its manganese production—an essential element in stainless steel.
Founded in the late 1800s as a mining colony, Chiatura became a key source of manganese and iron, both critical for steel and stainless steel production.
The town is nestled in steep valleys and gorges, making access to mines difficult.
To solve this, the Soviet government installed over 17 cable car lines in the 1950s, allowing miners to reach remote sites quickly. These were dubbed “metal coffins” for their precarious design.
After the collapse of the USSR, many mines were abandoned, and the cable cars fell into disrepair. Some were still running until 2018, when they were finally retired.
Today, modern ropeways have replaced the old system, and some of the original stations are being restored as cultural heritage sites.
Fascinating place that most people haven’t even heard of.