Burjanadze Defends Ruling Party’s Proposals

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze defended the ruling party’s response to the opposition demands, saying it was an expression of the authorities’ serious willingness to compromise.

The opposition slammed the ruling party memorandum as “cynical,” saying it had failed to meet opposition demands. The nine-party opposition coalition, as well as other opposition parties, including the New Rights, said no further talks would be held with the authorities unless the ruling party delivered tangible results. It called on supporters to start mass protest rallies from February 15.

Speaking on Rustavi 2’s late-night political talk-show, Primetime, on February 14, Burjanadze said that the opposition’s planned protest rally was no surprise, as the opposition had been planning it for a long time.
 
She also said that the opposition, in staging protests, was just trying to maintain momentum ahead of the parliamentary elections. Even during the negotiations between the authorities and the opposition, she said, she had suspected this would be their strategy.

Burjanadze said that people, “regardless of whether or not they like the government,” do not want destabilization, especially ahead of what she called important international political events, namely Kosovo’s expected independence and planned talks between the Georgian and Russian presidents later this month.

She also said that she hoped dialogue would be resumed with the opposition after the February 15 protest rally.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)