Bidzina Ivanishvili led opposition coalition, Georgian Dream, held a rally on Sunday in Tbilisi according to news agency News-Georgia.
Former captain of Georgian football team Kakhi Kaladze opened the rally that gathered about tens of thousands of people on Freedom Square.
“Our task is to defend the nation, country and faith. Misha (Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili) no one believes in you, you must leave! We stand for a just cause and will achieve victory,” Kaladze said.
The organizers said that the rally would not be a protest and would mark the launch of Georgian Dream election campaign. The parliamentary election in Georgia is scheduled for October 2012.
The election campaign of Georgian Dream began with rallies in three parts of the city at the park of Vake, Boris Paichadze Stadium (former Dynamo stadium) and the metro station Avlabari. By 3 pm the columns gathered on Liberty Square. One of the columns was headed by Ivanishvili, his wife and sons.
“Our country is on a razor-edge, I saw that the country cannot die and this cannot go on ... So my decision to come to politics is not my desire, it is a duty,” reported News-Georgia quoting Ivanishvili as saying.
He promised if Georgian Dream won the election, the citizens would get free medical insurance and affordable education. The coalition priorities are the development of agriculture and creation of new jobs.
“We begin to fight for justice, for the unification of Georgia, for Georgia to become a full member of EU, NATO and other international organizations ... We are sure that we will win, the processes have assumed an irreversible character,” the billionaire said.
The next rally of opposition coalition Georgian Dream is scheduled for June 7 and will be held in Kutaisi.
