Ex-president Saakashvili urges UNM to enter parliament, vows return ahead of municipal elections
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The third president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently holds an official post in Ukraine, has urged the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party to sign the new proposal by the EU and enter parliament after UNM leader Nika Melia leaves prison ‘without posting bail and in a dignified manner.’
Saakashvili stated in a video address earlier today that the section of the agreement which stipulates that parliamentary elections should be held in Georgia in 2022 if the ruling Georgian Dream party does not receive at least 43 per cent of votes in this year’s municipal elections, ‘is actually a referendum and the opposition must do its best to win the referendum.’
Saakashvili, who left Georgia back in 2013 and faces several charges in the country, has said he will return to Georgia ahead of municipal elections in the autumn.
The new proposal by European Council President Charles Michel released on April 18 covers electoral and justice reforms, offers a pardon for all violations and convictions stemming from the 19-21 June 2019 protests and the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections in 2022 if the ruling party fails to receive at least 43 per cent of votes in this year’s municipal elections.
The Georgian Dream ruling party, Lelo opposition party, Citizens, Republicans, Strategy Agmashenebeli, Girchi and Girchi - More Freedom signed the agreement in the presidential palace yesterday to solve the political tension in the country which began following the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Former member of the European Georgia opposition party David Bakradze, former member and head of UNM Grigol Vashadze and current UNM member Salome Samadashvili signed the agreement individually.
The UNM, which received 34 of the 60 opposition mandates in the 150-member parliament, the European Georgia party and Labour party have not signed the agreement so far.
However, Shalva Shavgulidze from European Georgia also has plans to sign the agreement.
Agreement in #Georgia
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) April 19, 2021
Sakartvelos Gaumarjos!
Congratulations to political leaders on signing the deal out of the current crisis.
You put the people's interests first and let democracy prevail.
Thanks to President @Zourabichvili_S and all parties. pic.twitter.com/cBm4pRQwWr
The Georgian opposition parties which won seats in the 10th convocation of the Georgian parliament say that last year’s parliamentary elections were fabricated and have been demanding repeat elections since November 2020.
The arrest of the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia for his refusal to pay bail on February 23, 2021(in the case of June 2019 protests) further complicated the political situation.
The top demands of the opposition included the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections, the release of Melia and the co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua who was convicted last year for the illegal possession and carrying of firearms.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili stated yesterday that she will pardon Rurua if opposition enters parliament.
European Council President Charles Michel sent mediator Christian Danielsson twice to Georgia last month to help the parties come to an agreement.
However, both efforts ended without the result.
Only the ruling Georgian Dream party signed Danielsson’s proposal earlier this month.
On April 18 Michel released his proposal and urged the parties to put state interests above party interests and take a step to solve the political tension.