Ex-PM Nogaideli Meets Ex-Defense Minister Okruashvili

Zurab Nogaideli, ex-PM and leader of the Movement for Fair Georgia met with Irakli Okruashvili, former defense minister and leader of the Movement for United Georgia on June 8.

“[Okruashvili and Nogaideli] discussed the current political situation in Georgia and issues related with cooperation between the opposition forces,” Nogaideli’s press office said in a brief statement.

According to the same report, “the meeting was held in Western Europe”; it, however, did not give other details. Okruashvili, who was granted asylum in France, was sentenced to 11-year prison term in Georgia in absentia in March, 2008.
 
In an interview with Maestro TV on May 27, Irakli Okruashvili, who criticized most of the opposition parties for not having a clear-cut plan and tactics, said that among those parties and coalitions, which were running in the May 30 local elections, the National Council and in particular Zurab Nogaideli "view the situation most pragmatically".

National Council is a coalition uniting Nogaideli’s party, Conservative Party and Party of People.

With 8.2% of votes in the May 30 local elections, the National Council was fourth in Tbilisi after the ruling National Movement party, Alliance for Georgia and Christian-Democratic Movement.

The National Council performed better in several provincial districts. It outpolled other opposition parties in at least seven provincial constituencies coming second after the ruling party in Adjara Autonomous Republic’s Kobuleti and Khulo, as well as in mountainous districts of Dusheti, Kazbegi and Tianeti. According to the results available as of now, the National Council has cleared 5% threshold, necessary for endorsing its candidates through party-list, proportional system in at least 23 municipalities. (For details see the map of election results).

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