Not all opposition factions united in election talks

The plans and intentions of different oppositional factions in Georgia still significantly differ from one another, when one side of opposition is engaged with negotiations with the authorities regarding improvement of election environment in the country; the other ones establish different institutions and forecast serious straining on the situation in the country.

The Representative Public Assembly established the Sworn Battalion, on March 10. The head of the Sworn Battalion is a member of the Public Representative Group, actor Gia Burjanadze. The Sworn Battalion made a pledge that they will defend the national interests of the homeland, they will act accordingly with fair justice and they are ready to defend all victims of governmental injustice and violence and will fight for the Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression, “we will use all peaceful methods to defend our citizens. Non government organizations will also collaborate with us, “Burjanadze said.

Burjanadze, head of Democratic Movement-United Georgia and active member of the Assembly said the Sworn Battalion has 1 500 people in Tbilisi and its number will increase throughout the country. She has mentioned that the elections will necessarily take place in the country, however only after the declaration of disobedience and the changing of the current authorities, as “no free elections are possible in the frames of the present Government.”

Changing of the authorities by means of revolution and its possible results have also been a topical issue for the Georgian Party’s recent statements, “if the Georgian people decide to change the authorities by rebellion and revolution, the Georgian party will be ready to take political responsibility in the process, “General Secretary of the party, Koka Guntsadze, said and mentioned that revolutions are arranged by the people and no one can oppose their will.

On the other hand, 8 oppositional parties(Republicans, Our Georgia-Free Democrats, Christian Democrats, National Forum, Conservatives , Georgia’s way, New Rights, People’s party) still remain optimistic that due to negotiations with the authorities, the election environment will be changed in the country. As it became known on March 9, the active period for negotiations will be launched from March 23, “I want to tell those opposition members which are sceptical on negotiations that until now, the process was really useless, however at present there are preconditions that the negotiations will have an according outcome, “Irakli Melashvili, from 8 oppositional parties working on election environment improvement, said. As he has mentioned, the authorities have no option but to concede in this field, “the government is under serious pressure from the international organizations which will necessarily make the authorities concede regarding the election reform.”

On his side, Republican Davit Usupashvili states that the Georgian party and Nino Burjanadze in creating revolutionary aspirations in the country, creates a threat for these 8 oppositional bodies, “I am just describing the situation. Currently achieving an agreement on election reform with the opposition is not in the authorities’ interests and the Government is trying to create an icon of enemy, as if some destabilization is possible from the street, which is far from the reality. “Usupashvili stated and mentioned that the current actions of the above mentioned oppositional representatives are in the authority’s interests and harm the progressive attempts of the 8.

As for the authorities, they do not take statements seriously on possible revolution in the country and mention that all those who speculate about such things are not interested in a bright future for the country. As for those ones working on election environment improvement, the Government state that they welcome their attitude and are ready to collaborate with them.