10 opposition parties in joint statement: only repeat elections can solve the political crisis

Six of eight opposition parties and election blocs who have won seats in the 10th convocation of the Georgian parliament have released a joint statement earlier today in which they said that ‘only the conduct of repeat, democratic parliamentary elections can solve the current political crisis’. 

• 10th parliament of Georgia holds first session, no opposition MPs present

Lelo, Girchi, European Georgia, Strategy Agmashenebeli, Labour Party and the United National Movement-United opposition election bloc (UNM, Progress and Freedom, State for People and the Republican Party) have signed the statement. 

• Central Election Commission sums up parliamentary election results amid opposition protest

Only four of 60 opposition MPs have entered the 150-member parliament so far. 

Fifty-one opposition MPs have requested the parliament to suspend their MP status. They are all demanding repeat elections. 

The opposition parties have urged the Georgian Dream ruling party to return to the table of negotiations, referring to the election talks which are mediated by foreign ambassadors. 

Opposition says that the 2020 parliamentary elections were falsified in Georgia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge. 

They say that the 10 opposition parties are unanimous in their key demands which include the conduct of repeat elections, the release of ‘political prisoners’ and the reform of the election system and administration. 

The parties say that the adoption of new changes to the law which strip parties of state funding if they will not take up their mandates and the postponement of voting on the suspension of MP status ‘are useless and will not stop us.’ 

The Georgian Dream must realise that the only way to solve the current political crisis is the conduct of repeat elections,” said the parties. 

• PACE urges all Georgian political parties to enter parliament ‘not to undermine its democratic functioning’

The ruling party says that the 2020 parliamentary elections were conducted in line with democratic standards and the opposition’s key demand on the conduct of repeat elections is groundless.