Nah, I left Georgia 4 months ago, wife and kids still there and I am pretty tapped into what goes on there.

Firstly, Georgians aren’t Russians- Georgians LOVE to protest. Almost every week there is a protest about something and not small either. They protested about Bassiani nightclub closing, protested about the Pride March, protested when a Russian sat in the speaker’s chair. They have some of the biggest crowds in the world marching in support of Ukraine and you can’t go 3metres without seeing a Ukrainian flag (about 100m for a EU or NATO flag). They protested the taxi laws, they protested the scooter and delivery driver laws. They protest the Rioni valley dam, they protest the dams in Svaneti. Yes they protest about Saakasvili(sp) treatment. They protest even in support of the government on that.

The government is going backwards at a million miles and using a nationalistic and orthodox playbook of its neighbour. The current government disdains the west yet gets offended when it is not invited into the EU with open arms.

The government will deny they are pro Russia and accuse the other side of it. But it is pretty clear. The President is the only one I have respect for and she is at loggerheads with them constantly. Years ago there were quite serious protests and to stop them the Georgian Dream government promised election reform and changing thresholds for minor parties etc. the crowds went away and 6 months later they ditched those promises. Yet the protests have never been so large since.

The government has overall support though it is a polarized country and has the full backing of the security services. I expect nothing to happen.