Georgian Opposition Parties Pledge Unity Ahead of Parliamentary Elections

| News, Politics, Georgia

On June 24, six Georgian opposition parties presented a "Declaration of Unity" in Brussels, outlining their strategy for the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 26. This alliance, based on President Salome Zourabichvili's Georgian Charter and its principles, aims to consolidate their efforts by July 8 to ensure the most effective election strategy.

The coalition consists of Girchi More Freedom, Droa, United National Movement, Ahali, Lelo, and Strategy Aghmashenebeli, and they have invited other opposition parties to join them. The parties expressed concern about Bidzina Ivanishvili and his associates, accusing them of undermining democratic values and obstructing Georgia's aspirations to join the EU and NATO. They pledged to dismantle the oligarchic influence and rule of the Georgian Dream Party and to steer Georgia back toward EU integration.

The declaration contains several key commitments:
- Intensify efforts to ensure that no electoral votes are lost and to exceed the 5% electoral threshold.
- Finalize the most effective party configuration by July 8, 2024 to maximize electoral success.
- Maintain ethical standards by avoiding internal conflicts before and after the elections.
- Stand united against Georgian Dream's propaganda.
- Form a unified governing coalition after the elections to implement the goals of the Georgian Charter.
- Refuse to support any government formation that includes Georgian Dream in the new parliament.
- Support a unified presidential candidate in the subsequent presidential elections.
- Work with civil protest movements and activists to protect democracy and promote Georgia's Euro-Atlantic path.
- Encourage maximum voter participation by Georgians living abroad and seek assistance from partner countries.
- Work together to protect the vote and prevent election fraud.
- Urge Western partners to ensure the rights of Georgian citizens to participate in fair and transparent elections, which may be threatened by the Georgian Dream government.
- Call on international organizations such as the OSCE/ODIHR, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe to provide long-term monitoring of the parliamentary elections.

The general secretary of "Strategy Agmashenebeli", MP Paata Manjgaladze, stated: "You can't think for a long time if we don't act". He also believes it is important that the declaration sets a deadline for the parties to act quickly. The condition of the declaration is also important for the MP, that in order to ensure that the 5% threshold is overcome, the parties should look for strategic partners and "stand where they can".

"European Georgia" declared that it "supports the creation of several centers of political gravity against Ivanishvili and does not consider unity with the National Movement". The party notes that there is a need for unity - "around the clear demand of the Georgian people - the return of Georgia to the Euro-Atlantic family, which cannot be fulfilled without the change of the authoritarian and oligarchic regime of Ivanishvili" and that is why they signed the initiative of the President - "Georgian Charter".

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