Press Scanner
Compiled by Etuna Tsotniashvili
Wednesday, May 20
Ramaz Sakvarelidze: a new round of confrontation has started
Rezonansi writes that political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze says that in spite of the fact that the opposition’s main demand, Saakashvili’s resignation, has not changed their number of demands has increased to six. Snap Parliamentary elections, media freedom etc. have been added to the “single demand” which the opposition initially called people out into the streets to make. However Sakvarelidze says that this increase is interesting only for experts, because the President has changed neither his tone nor position.
Commenting on how the ongoing processes in the country might end, Sakvarelidze thinks that making a prognosis is not easy. “I don’t see an end to this, however I still think we can expect certain things to happen. At last the opposition has expanded the number of its demands, which is a new development. Now the other side can take these demands, say which are acceptable for it and satisfy those. This was impossible when the opposition had only one demand.
“Now I think that both sides are getting more radical. Saakasvhili’s intonation does not suggest he is going to make concessions, but neither will the opposition step back. I think a new round of confrontation is starting,” Sakvarelidze said.
Opposition will take over Dinamo stadium
The opposition parties are preparing to hold a public parade on May 26, Akhali Taoba reports. This idea did not develop suddenly. As is known, during the meeting with the President the opposition threatened the President with the wrath of the people, and the parade will be a demonstration of this.
55,000 people can fill the terraces of Dinamo stadium, where the opposition seek to hold a parade, but more can stand in its surroundings and on the pitch. One of the opposition leaders, Levan Gachechiladze, has promised to gather 100,000 people in the stadium on May 26.
“It would be difficult to make prognoses. How events develop will depend on the steps taken by the authorities. Maybe we will not need May 26 if the authorities realize that the only way out of the crisis is to make serious Government changes. We need such changes to prevent further destabilisation, which has been caused by unfairness, injustice, social crisis and taking wrong steps in foreign policy.
“The stadium will provide clear evidence of how many people will come to our rally. It will be overcrowded, I’m sure of this,” Member of New Rights Manana Nachkebia says.
New Christian Democrat initiative
Leader of the Christian Democrats Giorgi Targamadze has offered a new initiative to President Saakashvili concerning the ongoing political situation, Sakartvelos Respublika writes.
The political situation is very tense in Georgia, the paper says. The opposition demands the President’s resignation and the President suggests constitutional reform. The opposition has not agreed to this, so the President has said that the reform process will be led by the opposition. Targamadze says that this suggestion should be very well considered by both opposition and President. He thinks that it is not necessary for the head of the constitutional commission to be an opposition representative but it would be better if they were a neutral person, a member of no party.
“We, Christian democrats will participate in the constitutional reform process. We think that this reform should end with a public referendum,” says Targamadze.
Rezonansi writes that political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze says that in spite of the fact that the opposition’s main demand, Saakashvili’s resignation, has not changed their number of demands has increased to six. Snap Parliamentary elections, media freedom etc. have been added to the “single demand” which the opposition initially called people out into the streets to make. However Sakvarelidze says that this increase is interesting only for experts, because the President has changed neither his tone nor position.
Commenting on how the ongoing processes in the country might end, Sakvarelidze thinks that making a prognosis is not easy. “I don’t see an end to this, however I still think we can expect certain things to happen. At last the opposition has expanded the number of its demands, which is a new development. Now the other side can take these demands, say which are acceptable for it and satisfy those. This was impossible when the opposition had only one demand.
“Now I think that both sides are getting more radical. Saakasvhili’s intonation does not suggest he is going to make concessions, but neither will the opposition step back. I think a new round of confrontation is starting,” Sakvarelidze said.
Opposition will take over Dinamo stadium
The opposition parties are preparing to hold a public parade on May 26, Akhali Taoba reports. This idea did not develop suddenly. As is known, during the meeting with the President the opposition threatened the President with the wrath of the people, and the parade will be a demonstration of this.
55,000 people can fill the terraces of Dinamo stadium, where the opposition seek to hold a parade, but more can stand in its surroundings and on the pitch. One of the opposition leaders, Levan Gachechiladze, has promised to gather 100,000 people in the stadium on May 26.
“It would be difficult to make prognoses. How events develop will depend on the steps taken by the authorities. Maybe we will not need May 26 if the authorities realize that the only way out of the crisis is to make serious Government changes. We need such changes to prevent further destabilisation, which has been caused by unfairness, injustice, social crisis and taking wrong steps in foreign policy.
“The stadium will provide clear evidence of how many people will come to our rally. It will be overcrowded, I’m sure of this,” Member of New Rights Manana Nachkebia says.
New Christian Democrat initiative
Leader of the Christian Democrats Giorgi Targamadze has offered a new initiative to President Saakashvili concerning the ongoing political situation, Sakartvelos Respublika writes.
The political situation is very tense in Georgia, the paper says. The opposition demands the President’s resignation and the President suggests constitutional reform. The opposition has not agreed to this, so the President has said that the reform process will be led by the opposition. Targamadze says that this suggestion should be very well considered by both opposition and President. He thinks that it is not necessary for the head of the constitutional commission to be an opposition representative but it would be better if they were a neutral person, a member of no party.
“We, Christian democrats will participate in the constitutional reform process. We think that this reform should end with a public referendum,” says Targamadze.