Opposition Reiterates Negotiation Resumption Terms

The nine-party opposition coalition reiterated on February 16 that it would only resume talks with the authorities if three key opposition demands were met.

It said in a written statement that it would launch “permanent protest rallies,” including a mass hunger strike from 2pm (local time) on February 22 if their demands were not met. “Georgia”s de facto authorities will be held fully responsible for all the possible consequences,” it said.

The opposition wants three demands, which it maintains the government had already verbally agreed to, to be immediately met: the release of “political prisoners” and the dismissal of Central Election Commission Chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili and public TV Director-General Tamar Kintsurashvili.

“We are ready to continue public dialogue [with the authorities] to secure democratic parliamentary elections – based on the opposition”s January 29 joint memorandum – if these demands are met,” the nine-party coalition said.

On January 29, when twelve opposition parties signed a joint memorandum, they warned that permanent protest rallies would commence from February 15 if their demands were not met. A protest rally was held on February 15, in which opposition leaders announced “nation-wide hunger strikes and street protests” would start from February 22.

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