Four opposition parties may form coalition without Saakashvili’s UNM

Four of eight opposition parties which entered parliament in the October 31 parliamentary elections may create a coalition without the United National Movement opposition party.  

European Georgia member Levan Tarkhnishvili has confirmed earlier today that talks are in progress between the party, Girchi, Strategy Agmashenebeli and Lelo. 

Tarkhnishvili said that the four parties have ‘much in common.’ However, he stated that the negotiations are at the initial stage and no consensus has been reached so far. 

Strategy Agmashenebeli says 'no such negotiations are taking place.' 

All the four parties received four mandates each in the October 31 parliamentary elections (16 seats in total), while the United National Movement opposition party received 34 mandates.

European Georgia ‘openly declared a war’ against former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili ahead of the elections, who founded and still runs the UNM. 

European Georgia party leaders compared Saakashvili with a treacherous character from Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister. 

• European Georgia says it won't form a coalition with ruling party or with ex-president Saakashvili as PM
• Former allies accuse ex-president Saakashvili of ‘anti-opposition propaganda’

Opposition on the encouragement of the international community to enter parliament: 'thanks for your efforts, but we will not enter.' 

Once a close ally of Saakashvili, now the leader of the European Georgia opposition party Gigi Ugulava stated that Saakashvili and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivavishvili ‘have provided equal efforts’ to hamper the opposition’s coalition ahead of the October 31 elections. 

All the eight opposition parties which entered parliament took to the street following the elections. 

They stated that the ruling party fabricated the elections and they are now demanding repeat elections. 

Ugulava thanked the international community and foreign diplomats for facilitating talks between the opposition and the ruling party to end the political crisis, but stated earlier today that ‘opposition MPs will not take up their mandates in parliament. Repeat elections must be held.’ 

The US Department of State, EU, PACE and others have urged the opposition to take up their mandates in parliament. 

A third round of negotiations with the mediation of foreign ambassadors between the ruling party and the opposition will take place in the coming days.