Opposition Plans Joint Declaration on Early Polls

At least eight opposition parties plan to sign a joint statement on January 29 demanding President Saakashvili resignation.

The joint statement will also call for an immediate electoral reform to create conditions for holding free and fair early elections, opposition politicians said on Wednesday.

An alliance of New Rights and Republican Parties, as well as Conservative Party; Georgia’s Way; Party of People; Movement for United Georgia; Democratic Movement–United Georgia (led by former parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze) and Labor Party are expected to join the declaration. Kakha Kukava, co-leader of Conservative Party said, an exact list of parties will become clear on January 28.

Irakli Alasania, Georgia’s former UN envoy, said on January 25 that he also supported the demand of early presidential elections and was holding consultations with other opposition parties on the matter.

A newly set up party, Movement for Fair Georgia, led by former PM, Zurab Nogaideli, will not join the declaration. Nogaideli said recently that early election was not the public’s demand for now.

In an obvious reference to the opposition’s calls for early elections, President Saakashvili said on January 27, that he would not allow destabilizing the country just because of some politicians’ “ambitions.”

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