UNM presents mayoral candidates for October municipal race

The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, which won 34 of 60 opposition seats in the 2020 parliamentary elections in the 150-member parliament, has presented mayoral candidates for the October 2 municipal race. 

The UNM head Nika Melia, who proposed his father, doctor Anzor Melia for Zugdidi mayor in western Georgia, stated yesterday that the municipal elections ‘are also a referendum.’ 

The April 2021 EU-mediated agreement between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the majority of opposition parties proposed the holding of repeat parliamentary elections if the ruling Georgian Dream party received less than 43 per cent of votes in the October 2 municipal elections. 

However, ahead of the elections the ruling party withdrew from the agreement ‘because of the refusal of the main opposition party, the UNM, to join the agreement.’ 

The UNM did not join the agreement because it disliked a stipulation on the amnesty of convicts of June 2019 protests in Tbilisi.

The opposition parties are still hopeful that the ruling party may accept the holding of repeat parliamentary elections if it receives less than 43 per cent of votes in the upcoming elections.. However, the Georgian Dream says that ‘no repeat elections will take place.’ 

Melia has given up his parliamentary mandate to better prepare for the elections. 

He has been nominated for Tbilisi mayor by four opposition parties and will oppose incumbent Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze from the GD. 

The UNM mayoral candidates are as follows: 

• Kutaisi - Khatia Dekanoidze
• Mtskheta - Zaal Udumashvili
• Rustavi - Davit Kirkitadze
• Telavi - Giorgi Botkoveli
• Martvili - Temur Janashia
• Batumi - Giorgi Kirtadze
• Kobuleti - Bondo Tevdoradze
• Khelvachauri - Misha Bolkvadze
• Keda - Ramin Beridze
• Shuakhevi - Roin Zoidze
• Khulo - Gogita Solomonidze
• Vani - Badri Meburishvili
• Zestaponi - Bakar Khijakadze
• Samtredia - Mamuka Bibileishvili
• Adigeni - Marekhi Datashvili
• Aspindza - Giorgi Giorgadze
• Sagarejo - Davit Javakhishvili
• Akhmeta - Zurab Otiashvili
• Gurjaani - Sergi Kakalashvili
• Dedoplistskaro - Tamaz Kochlamazashvili
• Sighnaghi - Zaza Papuashvili
• Dmanisi - Giorgi Tatuashvili
• Tetritskaro - Vano Magalashvili
• Gori - Vasil Makharashvili
• Khashuri - Ioseb Buadze
• Kaspi - Nugzar Noniashvili
• Kareli - Nikoloz Akhalkatsi
• Khobi - Beso Shengelia
• Zugdidi - Anzor Melia

Melia said that four opposition parties will nominate joint mayoral candidates for Rustavi and Batumi, while the UNM will support independent candidate Giorgi Tatuashvili in Dmanisi.