On September 29, 1998, after the Borjomi City Day celebrations—which ended with a feast for guests from the capital—locals organised a protest. At 7 p.m., they blocked the entrances and exits to the city with trucks, demanding the restoration of electricity. Borjomi residents complained that the city no longer received power even according to the official supply schedule. They linked the worsening problem to Rcheulishvili’s purchase of Chitakhevi HPP, claiming he had even set an ultimatum: “Give me votes, and I’ll give you electricity,” reported Droni newspaper.

The roadblocks caused major traffic jams, sparking frustration among drivers. Electricity was restored in Borjomi around 10 p.m. According to the newspaper, the city’s “shareholders” welcomed the return of light with whistling, while the “unwilling shareholders” joined in with the deafening horns of their cars. Traffic soon resumed.