Christian-Democratic Party Undecided on Boycott

Although the Christian-Democratic Party said election results “do not reflect the Georgian society’s will,” it refrained from immediately announcing boycott to the new parliament.

In a carefully worded written statement, read out by the party leader, Giorgi Targamadze, at a news conference on May 24, the newly set up Christian-Democratic Party sidestepped to give any clear-cut position. The party has claimed that absence of, what it called, unanimous position over the boycott among various opposition parties was reason of its hesitant stance.

“The Christian Democratic Movement is the winner in the 2008 parliamentary elections [the party received about 8.6% of votes]. We, however, believe that serious cases of vote rigging were observed during the elections,” the statement reads. “The result is not fair and does not reflect the will of the Georgian people, who lost the elections because they received a singly party parliament. Therefore, we do not intend to legitimize the results of the elections and to enter the one-party parliament along with the [ruling] National Movement [Party].”
 
“Different views on boycotting the parliament expressed today by the various representatives of the opposition political parties show that united position on this issue does not exit, which questions effectiveness of the boycott. Therefore, we believe that the opposition forces should continue negotiations and cooperation in the nearest future to reach an agreement on this issue and produce a joint position, which will lead to the solution of the problem.”

The Christian-Democratic Party also said that it planned to join the opposition protest rally planned for May 26. It, however, also said that the party would not “take political responsibility over the possible negative results of the rally, as we believe that street rallies are not appropriate means for changing the government and the wave of protests is not strong enough at the moment.”

Giorgi Targamadze, the party leader, who refused to take question from journalists, also said that the party took “a responsible approach” to the existing situation, because much was depended on the party in the current circumstances.

The nine-party opposition bloc has already announced that it would not join the new parliament. Shalva Natelashvili, the Labor Party leader, welcomed the announced and said on May 23 that his party would also boycott. On May 24 Soso Shatberashvili also from the Labor Party slightly changed the rhetoric and stressed that for a successful boycott refusal of the Christian-Democratic Party was also needed.

Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of New Rights Party – part of the nine-party bloc – also acknowledged on May 24 that the Christian-Democratic Party’s position was very important and expressed the hope that Targamadze’s party would also join the boycott.

Speaking in a talk-show at the Tbilisi-based FM radio station, Imedi, Gamkrelidze said that unanimous opposition boycott was important “to create crisis and to demonstrate to the world that Saakashvili is left alone in the Parliament.”

“We should not let this new parliament to be convened,” Gamkrelidze said. “We will manage to do that if there is a large scale-protest rally not only on May 26, but also on the day when the parliament will plan its first session. We will not let [newly elected ruling party] lawmakers inside [the parliament building]. The authorities, in that case, will have to either break up violently this rally, or make concessions.”