Four Opposition Parties Unite for the Upcoming Self-Governing Elections

Four opposition parties; New Georgia, New Unity for Georgia, European Democrats and Civil Alliance for Freedom announced their decision to unite for the upcoming self-governing elections at a press conference held at Courtyard Marriott in Tbilisi yesterday. 

The leader of the opposition party New Georgia, Giorgi Vashadze, came up with the initiative for all the opposition parties to unite and for all Tbilisi mayoral candidates to decide on one, joint candidate through primaries. 

“The only way to defeat Georgian Dream is for the opposition to unite” Vashadze stated, noting that “this should be a public movement, that all of us will start together.” The leader of New Georgia urged all the opposition mayoral candidates and “pro-western” political parties to unite, in order to make a decision regarding who will run for the position of city mayor. This decision will also be based on the results of the majority vote, to be chosen through the primaries. 

Vashadze noted, that the opposition mayoral candidates; Zaal Udumashvili, Elene Khoshtaria and Aleko Elisashvili coming together, united as one party, will defeat Kakha Kaladze, the candidate from the ruling party, in the post of mayor. As Giorgi Vashadze pointed out, legally there is enough time to start primaries from September, in order to choose the best possible mayoral candidate. 

The European Democrat party and their leader Paata Davitaia also support the recent initiative alongside number of NGO’s.

By Nino Gugunishvili