No substantial results as ruling party, opposition hold second meeting
Members of all nine political parties which have overcome the mandatory threshold for parliamentary seats held the first meeting with the mediation of the diplomatic corps earlier today to address the current political crisis in the country on November 12. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition politicians have held a second round of negotiations at the United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan’s residence earlier today.
Lelo for Georgia party leader Badri Japaridze told journalists after the meeting that the participants have agreed not to speak about the details of the meeting, however, he said ‘no significant progress has been achieved’ in this 'difficult process’.
We are ready for the constructive dialogue; the opposition is united, the approach of the opposition has not changed”, Japaridze said stressing that the current political deadlock needs repeat parliamentary elections.
Japaridze said although the Georgian Dream has a different opinion, they agreed to continue the negotiations.
Opposition politicians claim that the recent parliamentary elections were rigged in favour of the ruling party. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Welcoming the negotiations, parliament speaker Archil Talakvadze said they are trying their best to ensure that ‘the democracy and the political system’ of Georgia continues functioning in a stable manner.
We have no expectations that the dialogue among the political parties will end in this format, but we are ready to continue this dialogue in the tenth convocation of parliament”, Talakvadze told journalists.
He further added that it is in the country’s interest to ensure political stability through the political cooperation among the parties.
Talakvadze said the door for negotiations remains open and public will receive further details as soon as the parties manage to reach an agreement.
Claiming they will not stop protesting, opposition representatives are holding a large-scale rally in Tbilisi today to remind the ruling party leader Bidzina Ivanishvili ‘that the opposition will not accept election results’. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Meanwhile, leader of Strategy Aghmashenebeli Giorgi Vashadze said that with its yesterday’s decision (to finalise election protocols and declare the official date of majoritarian run offs) the Central Election Commission (CEC) has closed an opportunity for vote-recounting which has been among the suggestions of the Georgian Dream.
Vashadze stated as well that at the next round of negotiations the opposition parties expect to set a certain date for the repeat elections. Otherwise, he said, they see no sense in discussing any other issues.
- Ruling party, opposition hold first meeting at US Embassy amid political crisis following elections
- Ruling party calls on opposition to move political process from street to negotiations
Nine parties have overcome the 1% threshold for the 120 seats in the150-member parliament per the proportional electoral system on October 31, including the Georgian Dream, United National Movement, European Georgia, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Lelo for Georgia, Alliance of Patriots, Girchi, Citizens and Labour Party.
In the parliamentary elections on October 31 the Georgian Dream party received 48.22% of votes, followed by UNM - with 27.18%. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Meanwhile, on November 21 the second round of parliamentary elections will be held in 17 out of the total of 30 constituencies where the majoritarian candidates could not manage to overcome a 50% threshold.
- UNM opposition leader Vashadze calls for negotiations with ruling party
- European Georgia, Girchi, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Lelo continue ‘long, peaceful protest’
Claiming that the elections have been rigged, opposition parties demand repeat elections, the dismissal of the CEC head Tamar Zhvania and the recomposition of the election administration. Opposition thus continues ‘peaceful protest’ until their demands are met.
The ruling party however disagrees. Calling on the opposition to accept the election results and take up their parliamentary mandates, the Georgian Dream claims the elections were conducted ‘in full line with democratic standards’.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has announced that the second round of parliamentary elections will be held in Georgia on November 21. The CEC announced late yesterday that a majoritarian race will be held in 17 out of the total 30 constituencies; mayoral by-elections will also be held in Kutaisi.
Members of all nine political parties which entered parliament following the October 31 parliamentary elections have held a first meeting with the mediation of the diplomatic corps earlier today to address the current political crisis in the country. The meeting has been held at the US Embassy in Tbilisi and was attended by US, EU and French ambassadors.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has again called on opposition politicians to move the political processes from ‘destructive’ street protests to negotiations with the involvement of international partners.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has counted all votes cast in Saturday’s parliamentary elections. Nine parties have crossed the one per cent threshold to make it into the 150-member parliament per the proportional electoral system (120 seats in the legislative body). In the majoritarian elections the ruling Georgian Dream candidates has won 14 of 30 majoritarian constituences. A run-off will be held in 16 majoritarian constituencies on November 21, where the ruling Georgian Dream candidates won the race in 15 (of 16) constituencies, however, they were unable to receive at least 51% of total votes.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who will be travelling to Georgia on November 17-18, will hold meetings with representatives of Georgia’s ‘vibrant civil society’ along with senior government officials.
Opposition parties and their supporters have again gathered in front of the parliament of Georgia in central Tbilisi to protest the results of the recent parliamentary elections. The United National Movement (UNM) leader Nika Melia claimed in his public address that the opposition remains strongly united and no one, including the ‘special services of the regime’, will be able to harm their unity.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says it will not consider holding repeat parliamentary elections, Tbilisi Mayor and the ruling party secretary general Kakha Kaladze has announced in response to the opposition's demand.
The opposition European Georgia party says that it will recall all its 1,922 commission members from 17 election constituencies where the second-round of elections will take place on Saturday.
The US Department of State has released a long statement by its two senior officials (who have not been identified) earlier today, following the visit of US state Secretary Mike Pompeo to Georgia.
The eight opposition parties and election blocs who overcame the one per cent threshold in the October 31 elections and are now demanding repeat elections say that they are ready to hold a third round of talks with the ruling Georgian Dream party with the mediation of the diplomatic corps.
Three days ahead of the first session of the newly elected legislature, the ruling party and opposition met for the fourth time to discuss a possible solution out of the political deadlock in Georgia.
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party says that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has plans to blackmail them and disrupt the election talks which are taking place with the mediation of diplomatic corps.