The messenger logo

Three opposition parties agree on coordination

By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, October 27, 2022
"Strategy Agmashenebeli", "Girchi - more freedom" and "Droa" talked about the necessity of opposition unity and the idea of primaries.

According to Zurab Japaridze, the only way to defeat the "Georgian Dream" is great unity around the European future of Georgia.

The leader of "Droa", Elene Khoshtaria, said that the opposition must show the voters that there is an alternative to the government.

"The alternative is to show the power that we can make this change. Because I also expose [the government] separately, Giorgi doesn't stop, Zura doesn't stop, but that's not enough. We want to unite political, humane, informational resources, but in no case deceive people that we have become one monolith.

This union should be based on a solid understanding, the entire opposition does not have this solid understanding, for example, that if we do not change this government, there is no perspective for this country", said Khoshtaria.

When asked what this means, Elene Khoshtaria focused on the work of the opposition in the parliament. According to her, parliamentary activity still leaves the government with a chance.

Elene Khoshtaria said that the three parties worked all summer and checked each other's positions.

"Zura and Giorgi and I have been working all summer on checking these positions, we don't want to stand together and then it turns out that Giorgi believes that he should at least discuss the de-oligarchization law and some nonsense... I can say for this moment today that with me, Giorgi and Zura there is a complete convergence of positions, this strategic vision, but it is not enough, but it is the core that will allow us to move forward.

As for forms, I am not in favor of naming things. We must create the agenda together, this is our task. The agenda of what this government is screwing up, let's remind them, break the lies they're feeding people, show people, help them not be manipulated, because it's hard.. Let's show people that this country has a perspective...", Khoshtaria said.

To the question, does "Strategy Aghmashenebeli" intend to review parliamentary activities? Giorgi Vashadze answered that this needs concrete justification and it should be part of a big process. According to him, he does not think it is right to sit down and work with the "Georgian Dream", because the government and the opposition have different goals.

"Georgia is still in the reality that it has to choose Europe or Russia, there is no other way. If anyone says there is, they are lying. Our vision is that a completely pro-Western, pro-European wing should be united. It is 80-85%. We need to end the facade of pro-Europeanism from the side of the "Georgian Dream" in the minds of people. Their biggest lie that exists is that they are pro-European. In my opinion, there are pro-Russians.

To be honest, the three of us are on the same page. We want even greater unity. We do things together. We don't want the three of us to stand at the banner and say, that's it... we have to take steps together. We have coordination, we do not hide it. We are together in evaluation and how we see the way. The path to victory goes through unity", Vashadze said.

According to Giorgi Vashadze, they are waiting for the formation of the positions of the big opposition parties, "Lelo" and "United National Movement".

Zura Japaridze stated that he is constantly talking about his ideas with "Lelo", "United National Movement", and "European Georgia", although the final agreement has not been reached yet.

"If there was an agreement, we would have said it publicly. There is nothing concrete yet. But, in my opinion, there are no counter arguments. If we agree that the country has a choice between Europe and Russia, we say that the only way is great unity, if there is no way of great unity, then it should be explained to me what the way is.

If we separate our parties and beat each other, that's what we are doing now. It is clear from there that it is in Ivanishvili's interest to divide us. There are two ways to bind a union:

One is behind the scenes, we will sit down, decide what type of union it will be, divide it up, go on stage and say that we are crying for Ivanishvili's mother. In my opinion, this is the wrong way.

The second way is primaries - a much more open and understandable way...

According to Salome Samadashvili, one of the leaders of "Lelo", the goal of the opposition at this stage should be to jointly get more votes than the "dream", for which the voters need an alternative. According to Samadashvili, at this stage the politicians talking about unification cannot offer this formula to the public. She said the task of "Lelo" today is to strengthen the party and offer an alternative to the voters.

According to the member of "European Georgia", Gigi Tsereteli, the idea of unification is needed, but unity needs a vision and a model, as well as restoration of trust between opposition parties.