European Georgia Initiates Creation of Opposition Coordination Headquarters

By Tea Mariamidze

Wednesday, October 31

European Georgia presidential candidate David Bakradze offers other opposition parties to unite for the runoff.

The Republicans joined the initiative of the European Georgia.

Parliamentary minority European Georgia, whose candidate David Bakradze got 10,97% of votes in the October 28 Presidential elections, has suggested other political parties to set up a joint coordination headquarters in order to better prepare for the second round, to be held on December 2.

Bakradze stated despite different viewpoints, his party will support the candidate of the United Opposition, Grigol Vashadze, who came the second in the race with 37.74% after the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) supported candidate Salome Zourabichvili, who got 38.64%.

“I have the initiative to create a coordination headquarters of opposition parties for better preparation for the second round, where we all will work for preparation and victory in the second round," said Bakradze.

According to the politician, he invites not only pro-European but all other parties as well. He added that the Republicans have already joined the initiative.

“In the first round we voted against Zurabishvili and of course in the second round we will do the same and support Vashadze,” the Republican Party Chair Khatuna Samnidze stressed.

In addition, Bakradze's initiative was accepted by the political union Power Is in Unity, which also joined the United Opposition, when they named Vashadze as the joint candidate. According to Giorgi Vashadze, member of the Power Is in Unity, they are ready for any type of coordination with other political parties.

“We will consult with the European Georgia and other parties too. It’s time to unite and stand together for our victory in the second round,” he stated.

Davit Usupashvili, the candidate of the Movement for Construction, says he will not join Bakradze’s initiative. According to him, he will not support any candidate in the runoff, adding none of them are acceptable for him.

As for the Labor Party, they will think about it. The party stated they need to discuss the outcomes of the elections and after that, they will make a statement.