Fifth round of election talks between ruling party, opposition postponed
opposition parties have raised four demands which include the conduct of repeat electrons and ‘the release of political prisoners.’ Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The fifth round of election talks mediated by foreign ambassadors between the ruling Georgian Dream party and eight opposition parties and blocs has been postponed.
The reason behind the decision has not been announced so far.
The meeting is likely to take place on Monday and the first session of the 10th parliament of Georgia will take place without opposition MPs tomorrow.
Opposition parties and blocs which made it into parliament during the October 31 parliamentary elections say that the elections were fabricated and have refused to take up their mandates in parliament.
The diplomatic corps are now mediating talks between the ruling party and the opposition to help the parties end the political crisis.
Ruling party says that the election reform will be carried out anyway. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
The opposition parties have raised four demands which include the conduct of repeat elections; the ‘release of political prisoners’ Giorgi Rurua, Natalia Ilichova, Iveri Melashvili, Akaki Khuskivadze and Akaki Kobaladze; large-scale election reform and the reformation of the country’s Central Election Commission (CEC).
The ruling party stated yesterday that a special investigative commission will be created in the new parliament and if the commission says that even one per cent of votes was rigged or falsified in the elections they will accept the conduct of repeat elections.
The Georgian Dream party also said that election reform will be carried out and changes will take place in the CEC.
The party says that the elections were held in line with democratic standards and that there are no political prisoners in the country.
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party says that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has plans to blackmail them and disrupt the election talks which are taking place with the mediation of diplomatic corps.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has promised that they will accept repeat elections if a temporary investigative commission created by the 10th convocation of the parliament of Georgia reveals that at least 1% of votes were rigged or falsified. Kobakhidze commented on other issues related to the parliament, noting that parties that do not take up their mandates in parliament will not receive budgetary funding and other benefits.
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.
The Central Election Commission convened a session earlier today to summarise the final results of Georgia’s parliamentary elections. Having summed up the election results at today’s session, the CEC will now send the document to the parliament of Georgia, which will hold the first session of the tenth convocation within ten days.
The 10th convocation of the parliament of Georgia is holding its first session today following the October 31 parliamentary elections and the second round of elections on November 21. No opposition MPs from the eight parties and election blocs that were voted into parliament are attending the session. Five of eight opposition parties and blocs have signed a memorandum earlier today in which they do not recognise the election results, and demand the conduct of repeat elections and refuse to take up their mandates.
Germany and France have issued a joint statement earlier today calling Georgia their ‘close partner’ which has ‘undergone tremendous democratic changes in the last two decades’, including the strengthening of its ties with NATO and the European Union, in which it plays ‘an exemplary role’.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has officially nominated Giorgi Gakharia for premiership.
The ruling Georgian Dream party nominee for the country’s premiership Giorgi Gakharia has presented his cabinet to parliament to be voted on, as well as a government programme - ‘Building of a European State.’ 10 of the 11 candidates in the cabinet remain unchanged, while former deputy Justice Minister Gocha Lortkipanidze was nominated to take over as justice minister.
The US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has told Formula TV channel that she disapproves of a ruling Georgian Dream party-initiated bill which will strip opposition parties of state funding and free media time if they refuse to take up their mandates in parliament.
The parliament of Georgia has suspended the MP status for three of four members of the Alliance of Patriots opposition party earlier today, per the request of the MPs themselves.
Members of the Girchi and Citizens opposition parties which have won six seats in the 150-member parliament in the October 31 elections met earlier today to discuss the current political crisis and made an offer to other opposition parties.
Three MPs from the Girchi libertarian party have asked the ruling Georgian Dream party not to vote for the suspension of MP status for 51 opposition MPs tomorrow per their request.
Former member and a contributor of pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots opposition party Avtandil Enukidze was elected vice-parliament speaker earlier today.
United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said earlier today that the refusal of parliament to vote for the suspension of status for 51 opposition MPs yesterday ‘was an opportunity that will allow the parties a little bit more time to bridge their differences if they can’.
Lelo for Georgia political party leader and co-founder of TBC Bank Mamuka Khazaradze has urged for a large-scale, national reconciliation in Georgia after the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections.