Opposition may boycott elections, leave parliament as ruling party backs out of EU-mediated agreement
Opposition parties say that the ruling party has betrayed European values. Photo:Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The Lelo opposition party has stated that they may boycott the October 2 municipal elections, while several opposition leaders have urged opposition MPs to give up their mandates as the ruling Georgian Dream party has left the April 19 EU-mediated agreement.
The opposition parties say that the ruling party ‘acted in an absolutely irresponsible and a destructive manner’ and ‘said no to the EU and the US’ through pulling out of the agreement which had resolved a six-month political crisis in the country and proposed large-scale reforms.
The GD has pulled out of the Michel Agreement. They've betrayed our Western partners, the Georgian people, peace ans stability. I invite the opposition to hold consultations on the way forward, that could include boycotting the local elections. pic.twitter.com/HCOx90B9UO
— Mamuka Khazaradze (@M_Khazaradze) July 28, 2021
The ruling party once again confirmed that their word has no price,” head of European Georgia opposition party Giga Bokeria said.
He and other opposition politicians stated that the ruling party knows ‘it will not take 43 per cent of votes in the municipal elections’ and that is why the party left the agreement.
According to the EU-mediated agreement if the ruling party failed to receive at least 43 per cent of votes in the municipal elections, repeat parliamentary elections would take place in the country.
The head of the ruling party Irakli Kobakhidze stated earlier today that the holding of repeat parliamentary elections will now be dependent on the ‘goodwill of the Georgian Dream.’
Kobakhidze stated it is the opposition's fault the EU-mediated agreement has not been fulfiled. Photo: GD press office.
We will accept the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections even if we receive 53 per cent of total votes in the municipal elections, instead of 43 per cent if the actions of opposition political parties will show that the political system in the country is ready for effective coalition governance,” Kobakhidze said.
Kobakhidze stated that the ruling party was the only party which was fulfilling the EU-mediated agreement, while other opposition parties either refused to join the agreement or ‘were consistently violating’ it.
Kobakhidze said that holding municipal elections under the EU-mediated agreement while opposition parties refused to sign it ‘would be harmful for Georgia’s interests and would affect the rating of the ruling party.’