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Complied by Liana Bezhanishvili
Friday, November 27
Alliance is ready for further compromise on election threshold
Rezonansi reports that the Alliance for Georgia is appealing to the Government and opposition to reinstate the working group drafting changes to the election code and is ready to make definite concessions to achieve this. It has also stated that international organisations share this position.
It does not appear that the Government is likely to agree. However, if the Alliance’s demands are not met they might refuse to participate in the forthcoming elections.
“The Alliance’s consent to lowering the threshold to 45% was criticised by experts and civil society although the main purpose of this exercise is to achieve a consensus on bringing in civilized forms of changing the Government. If the ruling party returns to the NDI (National Democratic Institute) format discussions we are ready to think about dropping the barrier. If the National Movement is ready to raise the barrier above 30% we are ready to drop it below 45% to obtain a consensus on which to hold a democratic and just election," says Alliance member Zurab Abashidze.
We will use all civilised forms of protest, including manifestations, appeals and international protests," Abashidze continued. Irakli Alasania is considering refusing to participate in the local elections as part of this campaign of protest.
The Government is not going to make any further compromises and has already signed a document on the election code which will be sent for consideration by Parliament. Majority representative Pavle Kublashvili states that they have already achieved the consensus in the working group.
How much would it cost the opposition to hold primaries?
In an interview with Alia Leader of the Conservative Party Kakha Kukava has stated: "We are currently calculating how much holding primaries would cost and in a few weeks we will present a budget. We have decided that this process will be a public one. It is very difficult for me to say anything concrete at this stage.”
“We will do everything to make this process as transparent and reliable as we can get it. It will be a very impartial process and if there are any questions or doubts the organisers will make a decision about them. We have not made any concrete claim about holding primaries yet.
"Whether Alasania will or will not take part in a primary you will have to ask him. We will continue holding dialogue with him and the door will remain open for him. The National Forum’s position is obscure and we do not know what it is going to do," stated Kakha Kukava.
Asked whether a primary would lose its meaning it any of the oppositional parties boycotted it and nominated candidates unilaterally, Kukava said, "The primary’s purpose is to identify an agreed opposition candidate. Certainly in Georgia as in other countries people can nominate different candidates but these would be marginal candidates if the standard bearer has been selected by a primary. We think that the leading non-Parliamentary opposition forces must be represented by one candidate.”
Rezonansi reports that the Alliance for Georgia is appealing to the Government and opposition to reinstate the working group drafting changes to the election code and is ready to make definite concessions to achieve this. It has also stated that international organisations share this position.
It does not appear that the Government is likely to agree. However, if the Alliance’s demands are not met they might refuse to participate in the forthcoming elections.
“The Alliance’s consent to lowering the threshold to 45% was criticised by experts and civil society although the main purpose of this exercise is to achieve a consensus on bringing in civilized forms of changing the Government. If the ruling party returns to the NDI (National Democratic Institute) format discussions we are ready to think about dropping the barrier. If the National Movement is ready to raise the barrier above 30% we are ready to drop it below 45% to obtain a consensus on which to hold a democratic and just election," says Alliance member Zurab Abashidze.
We will use all civilised forms of protest, including manifestations, appeals and international protests," Abashidze continued. Irakli Alasania is considering refusing to participate in the local elections as part of this campaign of protest.
The Government is not going to make any further compromises and has already signed a document on the election code which will be sent for consideration by Parliament. Majority representative Pavle Kublashvili states that they have already achieved the consensus in the working group.
How much would it cost the opposition to hold primaries?
In an interview with Alia Leader of the Conservative Party Kakha Kukava has stated: "We are currently calculating how much holding primaries would cost and in a few weeks we will present a budget. We have decided that this process will be a public one. It is very difficult for me to say anything concrete at this stage.”
“We will do everything to make this process as transparent and reliable as we can get it. It will be a very impartial process and if there are any questions or doubts the organisers will make a decision about them. We have not made any concrete claim about holding primaries yet.
"Whether Alasania will or will not take part in a primary you will have to ask him. We will continue holding dialogue with him and the door will remain open for him. The National Forum’s position is obscure and we do not know what it is going to do," stated Kakha Kukava.
Asked whether a primary would lose its meaning it any of the oppositional parties boycotted it and nominated candidates unilaterally, Kukava said, "The primary’s purpose is to identify an agreed opposition candidate. Certainly in Georgia as in other countries people can nominate different candidates but these would be marginal candidates if the standard bearer has been selected by a primary. We think that the leading non-Parliamentary opposition forces must be represented by one candidate.”