Prepared by Messenger Staff
Zourabichvili Welcomes Formation of Opposition Alliance in Georgia
Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, has welcomed the creation of an opposition alliance, calling it an important step toward a peaceful political transition.
Zourabichvili said the initiative could lead to a concrete transition strategy that would serve as the basis for regime change.
"I welcome the opposition alliance that has been created," she wrote on Facebook. "At a time when different political forces agree on basic principles, this means that democratic forces in Georgia are ready to take the initiative and act to save the country."
She said the alliance builds on earlier efforts such as the Georgian Charter and the Resistance Platform.
"As the initiator of the Georgian Charter, I see in this initiative an important and new step that will lead us to a specific transition strategy," Zourabichvili wrote. "This strategy should become the basis for a united struggle of political and public forces to ensure regime change and peaceful transformation."
Several opposition parties announced the formation of the Opposition Alliance a day earlier. The agreement was signed by Coalition for Change, United National Movement, Strategy Builder, Federalists, National Democratic Party, European Georgia, and Freedom Square.
The signatory parties agreed on a common strategy and joint rules of action, saying they aim to free Georgia from what they describe as the autocratic rule of Bidzina Ivanishvili, restore the country's Euro Atlantic course, and ensure democratic governance.
According to the document, the alliance is based on the principle of unity without uniformity. Member parties retain their ideological identities while committing to coordinated protest actions and a unified communication strategy. The agreement also includes a code of conduct governing relations among the signatories and responsibility for violations.
Greece Detains Georgian Citizen on Espionage Suspicion at NATO Base in Crete
Greek authorities have detained a Georgian citizen on suspicion of spying at the Souda Naval Base, a strategic facility used by NATO and the United States, according to police and intelligence officials.
The 36-year-old suspect was arrested after arriving in Athens following months of monitoring by Greek intelligence services. His identity has not been disclosed. Officials are investigating possible links to Iran after images of United States military aircraft were found on his phone, Reuters reported.
Souda serves as a major logistics and operational hub for allied forces in the eastern Mediterranean. The United States aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford recently docked at the base before deploying to the Middle East.
Greek authorities are also examining whether the case is connected to the arrest of an Azerbaijani national in Crete in June on similar espionage allegations.
