President Zourabichvili Reflects on Failed Attempt to Unite Opposition Parties
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili addressed the failure of her initiative to unite the Lelo and For Georgia parties at the briefing. "This attempt was necessary. Trying means it's never guaranteed, you have to take some risks; and I took the risk, it didn't work out," Zourabichvili said.
The President did not discuss the specific details of the negotiations but noted that certain circumstances prevented the process from reaching an agreement.
"The two main culprits in all this are, on the one hand, a political culture that has not yet been established, a culture of seeking compromises, because it is still seen as a weakness - if you give in; how much you give up, who gives up more. That now means someone is weaker and it is clear that it is difficult to overcome this in the pre-election period.
The second culprit in all of this is something that eats at us all - mistrust, suspicion, fueled by all sorts of conspiracy theories.
And it affects everyone, it affects me, it affects everyone. Therefore, it is very difficult to get rid of all this; this environment greatly hinders the search for the necessary concessions, the necessary agreement that creates the final outcome of the negotiations," she explained.
President Zourabichvili stressed the need for significant changes following the upcoming elections. She called for the four signatory opposition coalitions to repeal all recently passed anti-democratic laws by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Additionally, she advocated for pardoning those who were fined or detained during protests and proposed the formation of a short-term technocratic government, potentially serving for one year, to reset the political system and ensure a fair democratic contest.
Zourabichvili reiterated the existential importance of the upcoming elections, urging full voter mobilization. She emphasized that the focus should not be on which specific opposition party to support, but on Georgia's European future.
The President also criticized the Georgian Dream party, stating that its true nature is becoming clearer "day after day." She said that the ruling party is "no longer pro-Russian but simply Russian," running its campaign on fear, threats, and revenge rather than offering a credible vision for the country's future.
