Ruling party, opposition hold first meeting at US Embassy amid political crisis following elections
The diplomatic corps have advised the ruling party and the opposition to negotiate. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Members of all nine political parties which entered parliament following the October 31 parliamentary elections have held a first meeting with the mediation of the diplomatic corps earlier today to address the current political crisis in the country.
The meeting has been held at the US Embassy in Tbilisi and was attended by US, EU and French ambassadors.
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Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze from the ruling party, Grigol Vashadze from United National Movement, David Bakradze from European Georgia, Giorgi Vashadze from Strategy the Builder, Badri Japaridze from Lelo, Zurab Japaridze from Girchi, Irma Inashvili from Alliance of Patriots, Aleko Elisashvili from Citizens and Shalva Natelashvili from the Labour Party have attended the meeting.
It remains unclear whether the opposition continues rallies on November 14. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Negotiations [with the ruling party] have been launched. Let’s see what will happen. One meeting is not enough to solve such problems,” Natelashvili said after the meeting.
All eight opposition parties which entered parliament took to the street following the parliamentary elections, stating that the elections were fabricated.
They are demanding repeat elections, the dismissal of the head of Georgia’s Central Election Commission Tamar Zhvania and the recomposition of the commission.
The ruling party states that the elections were conducted ‘in full line with democratic standards’ and advises the opposition to accept the election results in a dignified manner.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded to the opposition’s election-related protests and said that all political parties in Georgia ‘must understand’ that the people have given them the mandate to take care of the country in the current period ‘which is full of challenges’ due to the pandemic. Gakharia, who has just recovered from coronavirus, stated earlier today that the fate of the county must be decided in parliament, not on the street.
The leader of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Grigol Vashadze has called on other opposition parties to sit at a table with the ruling Georgian Dream party to resolve election-related complications.
The European Georgia opposition party, which has received five mandates in the 150-member parliament, has refused to have its MPs take up their mandates in parliament and participate in the election run-off on November 21 in several majoritarian constituencies.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has counted all votes cast in Saturday’s parliamentary elections. Nine parties have crossed the one per cent threshold to make it into the 150-member parliament per the proportional electoral system (120 seats in the legislative body). In the majoritarian elections the ruling Georgian Dream candidates has won 14 of 30 majoritarian constituences. A run-off will be held in 16 majoritarian constituencies on November 21, where the ruling Georgian Dream candidates won the race in 15 (of 16) constituencies, however, they were unable to receive at least 51% of total votes.
Georgian opposition parties plan to hold rallies on central Tbilisi streets without speeches by opposition leaders during the visit of the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo on November 17-18.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has announced that the second round of parliamentary elections will be held in Georgia on November 21. The CEC announced late yesterday that a majoritarian race will be held in 17 out of the total 30 constituencies; mayoral by-elections will also be held in Kutaisi.
The ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition politicians have held a second round of negotiations at the United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan’s residence earlier today. The parties have agreed not to reveal the details of the meeting.
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) leaders say that following the October 31 parliamentary elections political actors in Georgia should resolve the political deadlock and participate in the work of the new parliament in order to ensure that the voters’ will is respected.
The eight opposition parties and election blocs who overcame the one per cent threshold in the October 31 elections and are now demanding repeat elections say that they are ready to hold a third round of talks with the ruling Georgian Dream party with the mediation of the diplomatic corps.
Three days ahead of the first session of the newly elected legislature, the ruling party and opposition met for the fourth time to discuss a possible solution out of the political deadlock in Georgia.