Ruling party will not consider holding repeat elections, release of opposition leader Melia at next EU-mediated talks
The EU-mediated negotiations between the ruling party and opposition aimed to end the current political crisis in Georgia is supposed to resume in coming days. Photo: Georgian Dream press office
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze has stated earlier today that the ruling Georgian Dream party is not considering holding repeat parliamentary elections or the release of opposition United National Movement chair Nika Melia during the upcoming EU-mediated negotiations.
Talakvadze told Palitra TV that the ruling party does not intend to ignore the choice of their supporters made at the last year’s parliamentary elections and to agree to the groundless demands of the opposition.
We, the Georgian Dream, do not intend to turn our backs on the choice of our citizens and supporters in the elections which we have won”, Talakvadze said.
Therefore, the Georgian Dream does not consider discussing to hold repeat elections at the upcoming talks. Talakvadze said this is ‘our principled position’ because there is ‘no ground’ to hold repeat elections.
Noting that the ruling party has made a ‘constructive offer’ to the opposition by offering them to establish a temporary commission to investigate alleged election violations, Talakvadze said the opposition has refused.
Talakvadze also stated that UNM chair Nika Melia has been detained for his refusal to pay bail, therefore, he can be released only after doing so.
Photo: Archil Talakvadze's official Facebook page
Claiming that the elections were rigged in favour of the Georgian Dream, opposition parties and election blocs qualified for parliamentary seats in October 31 parliament elections demand repeat elections be held and 'political prisoners', including Melia, released.
Meanwhile, the ruling party has promised to accept repeat elections if a temporary investigative commission reveals that at least 1% of votes were rigged or falsified.
Christian Danielsson, the EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition will travel back to Georgia by the end of the week to help the parties to come to an agreement.
Danielsson, who was sent to Georgia by European Council President Charles Michel on March 12, had spent a week in Georgia, more than scheduled, to help the parties come to an agreement but in vain.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the country’s opposition has two choices: ‘either listen to the EU and the US partners and take up their mandates in the state legislature, or continue their marginal actions.’
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated earlier today that support from the European Union and the United States is of critical importance for Georgia to overcome its current political crisis.
Jeanne Shaheen, a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is ‘surprised and disappointed’ that all parties in Georgia ‘have allowed the current crisis to last so long’.
Georgian opposition politicians, who plan to travel to the regions to meet with the public, have announced they will gather in front of the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on May 15.
A couple of days before the EU-mediated talks between the Georgian ruling party and opposition, both sides express their readiness to reach the final agreement to end the current political crisis in Georgia.
EU mediator Christian Danielsson, who arrived in Georgia late last night, calls on the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition to agree on a compromise. Danielsson said upon arrival that he is looking forward to engaging with the leaders of the political parties in supporting them to reach an agreement to end the political crisis in this country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the ruling Georgian Dream party is ready for a ‘constructive dialogue’ with the opposition to solve the current political tension ‘as soon as possible.’ Garibashvili made the statement earlier today after his meeting with EU mediator Christian Danielsson who returned back to Tbilisi on March 27 after the failure of his previous mediation efforts earlier this month.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that the chance is about fifty-fifty of reaching an agreement with the parliamentary opposition on election-related issues and the release of imprisoned opposition figures amid the current political tension. The statement came after today’s meeting with the EU mediator in talks between the ruling party and the opposition Christian Danielsson who returned to Tbilisi on March 27 after previous mediation efforts failed earlier this month.
The head of the Psychologists’ Development Research Centre Besik Bogveli has requested consent from the country’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office to post 40,000 GEL bail instead of the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia.