Ruling party says repeat elections not on agenda
Having nominated a new prime minister the ruling party is now preparing to approve cabinet of ministers in coming weeks. Photo: Georgian Dream's Facebook page
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Ruling Georgian Dream party member Mamuka Mdinaradze says that any discussion on holding repeat parliamentary elections is ‘speculative', responding to the opposition’s demand that snap elections be held in the country.
If the opposition was and is still expecting any suggestion on their main demand, the parliament has set up an investigative commission [to answer the questions] about the election issues upon the initiative of the Georgian Dream faction and they can join it”, Mdinaradze has stated earlier today.
Welcoming Giorgi Gakharia’s resignation from the prime minister’s position earlier today, opposition United National Movement chair Nika Melia said that the ruling party and the opposition ‘must come to an agreement’ on repeat parliamentary elections.
- Gakharia after resignation: confrontation, rivalry in Georgia endanger democratic, economic development
- Police ‘postpone’ Melia’s arrest as PM resigns
Announcing his resignation following yesterday's court ruling against Melia, Gakharia said although the UNM leader had violated the law, it was not the right time for his detention.
Giorgi Gakharia has tweeted after his resignation:
I believe that confrontation and rivalry within the country endanger the future of ????????'s democratic & economic development. Therefore, I have announced my resignation in the hope to reduce polarization & deescalate the situation.
— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) February 18, 2021
Meanwhile, noting that the country is facing 'extremely serious challenges' the United States Embassy said the US 'stands ready to assist Georgia in finding a solution to the current crisis and to return focus to creating jobs, reducing poverty, and rebuilding the economy'.
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) February 18, 2021
Preparing to form a new cabinet of ministers in the coming days, Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze said the Georgian Dream 'is in full control of its move forward'.
Parliament of ???????? will form a new Cabinet in the coming days. We will ensure continuity of govt policies for the benefit of our citizens. #GeorgianDream is in full control of its move forward!
— Archil Talakvadze (@A_Talakvadze) February 18, 2021
Georgian Dream has won the parliamentary elections in Georgia last year. However, claiming that the elections have been falsified in favour of the ruling party, opposition parties which have overcome the mandatory 1% threshold, demand repeat elections be held.
Former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who resigned earlier today amid a disagreement with the ruling Georgian Dream party over the detention of opposition leader Nika Melia’s detention, said ‘confrontation and rivalry’ in Georgia endanger its future democratic and economic development.
The European Union urges the Georgian authorities and opposition ‘to act with utmost restraint and responsibility to avoid further escalation’ following a court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for United National Movement chair Nika Melia and the ‘subsequent resignation’ of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
The Georgian Dream ruling party has nominated Defense Minister Irakli Garibashvili, 39, for the premiership earlier today, following the resignation of Giorgi Gakharia. This is the second time the Georgian Dream has nominated Garibashvili for the premiership. Initially he served as PM between November 2013 and December 2015. He was the second PM under the Georgian Dream leadership, replacing the founder of the party Bidzina Ivanishvili in the role.
Opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia, who was named the reason for PM Giorgi Gakharia recent resignation, has stated that the opposition ‘welcomes’ the PM’s decision, but it is not sufficient.
Police have detained 20 individuals including United National Movement opposition party members Levan Khabeishvili and Giorgi Kapanadze while they were trying to set up tents in front of the parliament building.
A photo that former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia posted last evening on Facebook has immediately grabbed public attention. As of now the photo has over 180,000 emotions, 30,000 comments and 7,500 shares.
Georgian opposition parties which won seats in the October 31, 2020 parliamentary elections and who demand repeat elections have postponed a rally on February 25 to ‘give time to the ruling Georgian Dream party’ to resume talks.
Georgian opposition parties which won seats in the October 31, 2020 parliamentary elections and who demand repeat elections have postponed a rally on February 25 to ‘give time to the ruling Georgian Dream party’ to resume talks.
Georgian PM nominee Irakli Garibashvili says that the resumption of order in the country, coronavirus vaccination and drafting a 10-year ‘ambitious plan’ for state development will be the major priorities of the new government in the first 100 days. Garibashvili also said that the ‘return of the destructive forces to the constitutional frames’ will be on the top of the agenda.
Georgian PM nominee Irakli Garibashvili says that the ‘door is closed’ for any talks on repeat parliamentary elections.