Zurab Zhvania Vows to Win Parliamentary and Presidential Elections
“We, the United Democrats, are the force, which will change this government. We are ready to win the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections in Georgia,” said Zurab Zhvania at the First National Convent, by the United Democrats on November 1.
Exactly one year ago, on November 1, 2001, Zhvania stepped down from chairmanship of the Parliament amid civil unrest in Tbilisi. That very day, Zhvania’s career as an independent opposition leader has started.
“If we did not step down form the government one year ago, we would not have been standing here with you today, because it is impossible to simultaneously be in this government and with the people,” Zhvania said in his emotional speech.
Zhvania, relegated from the Citizens Union of Georgia had to hit the local elections on June 2 under the ticket of the political unknown, Christian-Conservative party. However, he has actively started to shape the contours of the United Democrats.
It seems that the bulk of the background work is now completed, on the even of the convent Zhvania’s team burst into series of policy discussions. The roundtables were arranged with representatives of science, culture, business, medicine, education and women unions. As the party leaders say, these meetings were seen as a policy consultation with specific interest groups.
The party leaders saw the First National Convent of the United Democrats as a logical conclusion of these consultations. In an overcrowded hall of the Tbilisi Sports Palace, Secretary General of the United Democrats Giorgi Gabashvili presented main principles of the party. As he said, the party’s program will be based on four main principles: national heritage, personal freedom, equal opportunities and social solidarity.
Every speaker stated that possibilities of cooperation with the government have been exhausted. “We are splitting from the Bolshevik mentality, whatever it is called: Shevardnadzism in Tbilisi or Aslanism [Aslan Abashidze, Head of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic] in Batumi,” said Giorgi Baramidze, MP, one of the leaders of the United Democrats. “I have realized that our government does not need its people to be happy,” said MP Elene Tevdoradze in her speech.
Zurab Zhvania, chairman of the United Democrats, made a closing speech of the convent. As Zhvania explained, opinions and suggestions of numerous experts were reduced to these three main topics: undertaking of full responsibility for any activities as a government leader, improvement of the social-economic situation and restoration of the territorial integrity.
“No compromises will be made in achieving them, for there is no place left for compromises in Georgia,” Zurab Zhvania stated.
Zhvania suggested his supporters to create so called “freedom committees” in the regions and cities to coordinate joint activities and oppose government’s any attempt of violence or criminalization.
“We will make the wishes of all those, left without a right to wish, come true”. With these words Zhvania concluded his speech and the First National Convent.
