The PSP Group, one of Georgia's leading pharmaceutical companies, will participate in the general strike on January 15, according to an announcement by its founder, businessman Kakha Okriashvili, on his personal Facebook page. The strike is being held to demand new, transparent, high-standard parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners.
In his statement, Okriashvili emphasized the group's unique position as a medical company and outlined how its participation in the strike would balance civic protest with its essential responsibilities.
“As a medical company, PSP Group has neither the moral nor the legal right to suspend operations for several hours. Therefore, we will halt our activities for 5 minutes in solidarity with the protest, while ensuring that one pharmacist on duty is available to provide emergency services. This approach ensures that urgent needs, such as emergency operations, resuscitation, or the immediate care of a high-blood-pressure patient, are not neglected,” Okriashvili stated.
During the 5-minute protest, emergency cases will be managed by on-duty staff, while other employees will join the strike as a demonstration of their support for the demands.
“Our demands are clear: we call for justice, transparent elections, and the release of political prisoners. This action aligns with the broader calls for democratic reform in the country,” Okriashvili added.
The announcement comes amidst growing tensions and calls for systemic change, with the general strike expected to see participation from various sectors and organizations across Georgia.