NATO’s Appathurai says dialogue important ‘to move beyond current impasse’ in Georgia
James Appathurai commented on recent developments in Georgia on his official Facebook page yesterday. Photo: Shot from a video by President of Georgia's press office/Archive
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NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said it is important that there be dialogue "to move beyond the current impasse”.
Appathurai referred to the recent developments in Georgia following the parliament’s rejection of an electoral bill which offered an early transition to a fully proportional electoral system starting 2020 instead of 2024.
Appathurai said NATO and he, himself, are “watching events in Georgia closely and with concern”. However, he felt “encouraged” by reports of an upcoming meeting between the government and the opposition over the issue.
Georgia has a strong and vibrant democracy, and that should be demonstrated again in finding a consensual way forward”, Appathurai wrote on his official Facebook page yesterday.
Appathurai’s comment followed the reports on that the diplomatic corps in Georgia had offered to orchestrate a meeting between the ruling party and the opposition, amid the current political tenison.
The meeting, which comes amid protests in Tbilisi sparked by the rejection of the election reform bill on November 14, will discuss the German electoral model for 2020 elections among other issues today.
About 30 opposition parties, including the parliamentary opposition, have presented an ‘adapted version’ of the German electoral model for Georgia’s 2020 parliamentary elections amid protests in Tbilisi sparked by the rejection of the ruling party proposed bill which offered an early transition to a fully proportional electoral system starting 2020 instead of 2024.
The diplomatic corps in Georgia has offered to orchestrate a meeting between the ruling party and the opposition which may take place early tomorrow, former Parliament Speaker, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party MP Irakli Kobakhidze has stated. The EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell says that “he is happy” the meeting will take place.
Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze has urged opposition MPs, who are now protesting the rejection of an election reform bill on the streets, to return to the legislative body and voice their demands in parliament.
Representatives of opposition parties and civic activists have resumed demonstrations in downtown Tbilisi aimed to re-block the parliament of Georgia and prevent legislators enter the building tomorrow.
Today's meeting between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and opposition over the current electoral dispute, facilitated by foreign ambassadors accredited in Georgia, has ended without results. This was the first meeting between the opponents following the parliament’s rejection of an electoral bill which offered an early transition to a fully proportional electoral system.
Acting Ambassador of the United States to Georgia Elizabeth Rood and the Ambassador of the European Union Carl Hartzell welcome the beginning of a dialogue between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and opposition over the recent electoral dispute.
Businessman Mamuka Khazaradze’s new civic movement Lelo, former Parliament Speaker Davit Usupashvili’s Movement for Building and the New Rights party have announced the launch of political cooperation.