Opposition Leader Says Possible Split a Tactic

MP Levan Gachechiladze, who was the nine-party opposition coalition’s presidential candidate, has said that what some see as a split within the coalition is merely an election tactic.

MP Davit Zurabishvili of the Republican Party told Civil.Ge earlier on February 28 that his party was considering running independently in the upcoming parliamentary elections. He and other party leaders, however, refused to elaborate further.

MP Gachechiladze, who is an individual member of the coalition, said later on February 28 that talks were underway on opposition pre-election tactics.

“There is a possibility that the Republicans will run independently, but talks are still underway,” he said. “The Republicans may quit [the coalition], as well as some other [parties]; we are considering all the possible options in order to secure maximum gain, in order to have as many votes as possible.”

The Republican Party is due to make a statement on the issue on February 29.