Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned that Russia’s restrictions on Armenian exports are calling into question the future of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), saying the dispute could mark “the beginning of the end” for the Moscow-led bloc if it is not resolved soon.
A rally is taking place in Tbilisi near the house of activist Nata Peradze. According to the protesters, a woman poured paint on the icon of the Matrona of Moscow in the Sameba Cathedral. The icon depicts a man resembling USSR Secretary General Joseph Stalin.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs called on protesters to maintain order. Police officers are mobilized near Peradze's house to protect public safety and law and order.
The day before, unknown persons poured paint on the icon of St. Matrona of Moscow. At the same time, only the place of the stamp with the image of Stalin was damaged by paint. Civil activist Nata Peradze said she received threatening messages after she shared video footage of the doused icon on her Facebook page on January 9. In turn, the laboratory for the study of the Soviet past demanded that the image of Stalin be removed from the main cathedral of Georgia.