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.
Georgian Prime Irakli Garibashvili has responded to signing the EU-proposal by majority of Georgian parties to solve the current political tension in the country and stated that ‘now, everyone, should be focused on solving major challenges the country faces.’
The European Council President Charles Michel will visit Georgia in the afternoon to meet with the leaders of the political parties who signed his proposal yesterday in Tbilisi to solve the political tension in the country which began following the 2020 parliamentary elections. The proposal by Michel covers electoral and justice reforms, offers 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.
Georgian non-governmental organisations Transparency International Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, and Georgian Young Lawyers Association state that all political parties should sign the new proposal by the EU to solve the political tension in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated that she will pardon the co-founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Giorgi Rurua if Georgian political parties sign the new proposal by the European Council President Charles Michel to solve the political tension and if opposition MPs take up their mandates.
European Council President Charles Michel has come to Tbilisi earlier today, shortly after the majority of Georgian political parties signed his proposal to solve the political tension in Georgia which began following the 2020 parliamentary elections. After a meeting with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Michel said that he is happy Georgian political parties have come to an agreement and stated that ‘today marks the start of hard work that will take Georgia forward along its Euro-Atlantic path.’
Opposition parties which have signed the EU-mediated agreement with the ruling Georgian Dream party will enter the state legislature on April 27 to submit an amnesty bill. Six Georgian political parties and several individual MPs signed the proposal by the European Council President Charles Michel on April 19 to solve the political tension in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections.
The US Department of State has urged the remaining opposition parties and individual MPs to sign the EU-mediated agreement to resolve the political tension in Georgia which began after the October 2020 parliamentary elections.
US Ambassador Kelly Degnan says that it is completely up to the United National Movement opposition party leader Nika Melia whether or not he leaves prison.