Amid student protests at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Giorgi Gaprindashvili had to drop his candidacy for TSU’s chancellor position. He said that all allegations against him were absurd and he dropped his candidacy only to defuse tensions at the university. Gaprindashvili also said that the entire responsibility would lay on the university administration for its failure to ensure Senate meeting.
On March 14 two parallel rival rallies of students were held at TSU. A group of students gathered on the university’s staircase to protest against Gaprindashvili’s candidacy for TSU’s chancellor position, as well as misspending of funds by student self-government and assigning security agency’s officers, so called ODRs, to the university. Another group of students supporting student self-government gathered in the university courtyard; they demanded returning the university to legal frames, holding a Senate meeting and eradicating the practice of assigning ODRs to the university. TSU security guard, Rector Vladimer Papava, deans of the TSU faculties, administrative staff stood between the two student groups. Rector Papava called on students for calmness and noted that the developments should not go beyond legal frames. Rival rallies still continue in the main building of TSU and its adjacent territory.
