Ex-PM Gakharia proposes talks with ruling party, UNM opposition for ‘balanced’ city assemblies
Giorgi Gakharia served as the county’s interior and prime ministers under the Georgian Dream leadership. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Former prime minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia has proposed trilateral talks between his For Georgia, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the United National Movement (UNM) opposition to compose city assemblies ‘in a balanced manner.’
Gakharia, whose party received 7.79 per cent of the vote in the proportional part of the October 2 municipal elections stated earlier today that both the GD and the UNM need a coalition with For Georgia in several city assemblies to form a majority.
Both parties are trying to hold hidden negotiations with us to have a majority which is unacceptable for us,” Gakharia said, noting that the GD ‘is also suppressing our majoritarian candidates in city assemblies to gain their support.’
He stated that an ‘open, trilateral format of negotiations’ should be held which will compose the city assemblies in a balanced fashion.
We are also ready to support any candidates proposed by the GD and the UNM, selected in the format for various posts in city assemblies,” Gakharia said.
The October 2 elections were a step back, neither free nor fair. Nevertheless #ForGeorgia party, which was founded 4 months ago, took the third position. We shall act in the best interests of ????????, including its European and Euro-Atlantic future.
— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) October 5, 2021
He stated that if any of the parties will not accept the offer, then For Georgia will act based on the ‘fundamental principle of the party and will not allow the concentration of power in one party’.
According to the results of the first round of municipal elections the GD is expected to need a coalition to form a majority in Senaki, Tsalenjikha, Rustavi, Zugdidi and Batumi city assemblies, while the UNM will have a majority in Zugdidi city assembly.
Gakharia resigned as PM and left the GD in February 2021 due to controversies with the ruling party leadership and founded the For Georgia party in May 2021.
He has been frequently described as a ‘traitor’ by the ruling party and government officials and has been accused of making an alliance with the UNM.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has announced his resignation earlier today, saying that the step is connected with the upcoming arrest of the opposition MP, the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia. Gakharia has stated that Melia violated the law and has been engaged in sparking tension in the country.
A second round of mayoral elections are expected in all five big cities of Georgia, including Tbilisi, as none of the candidates received at least 50% + 1 of the vote.Municipal elections are held in Georgia per a mixed electoral system. Voters have to fill three ballot papers: the first ballot paper is for mayoral candidates (which are elected per a 50%+1 system). The winner is the candidate who will receive at least 50%+1 of the vote, otherwise a second round of elections will be held).
Former Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia, who is running for Tbilisi mayor in the upcoming October 2 self-government elections, has accused local TV channel Imedi of political bias and demands to be aired live. Giorgi Gakharia resigned from the post of PM on February 18, 2021 due to a disagreement with the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and soon after in late May launched the For Georgia political party. The GD accused Gakharia of planning an alleged coup together with the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, noting that his resignation ’was profitable for the UNM.’
Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who now chairs the For Georgia political union, said at the party’s launch presentation earlier today that ‘we unite for Georgia, but not against anybody’. Stating that his team will be actively involved in political processes, Gakharia said Georgia now needs a political party which can ‘look the truth in the eyes’ and speak up about the challenges the country is facing nowadays, instead of living in illusions.
According to the final results of the first round in the race, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party received 46.74 per cent of the vote, the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party received 30.68 per cent of the vote while ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party garnered 7.79 per cent of the vote.
Lithuanian members of European parliament (MEP) Andrius Kubilius and Rasa Jukneviciene call on all Georgian political forces ‘to start building bridges enabling normal democratic political dialogue, return to the pro-European reform track and focus on achieving very much needed progress in country’s development for the benefit of the Georgian people’.
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party may not be able to form a majority in Zugdidi city assembly in western Georgia after a recent recount of invalid ballot papers in four polling stations per the request of the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling party.
Former prime minister of and leader of For Georgia political party Giorgi Gakharia has cast his ballot in today’s municipal run-offs, and said he voted ‘for Georgia,’ but not for any candidate. Gakharia explained that by coming to the run-offs, he performed his ‘civilian duty.’