Opposition parties unity: New elections only solution to Georgia's political crisis
A joint statement by the Coalition for Change, Unity – National Movement, Strong Georgia, and Gakharia for Georgia emphasized that the illegitimate parliament lacks the authority to elect a president. According to the statement, Salome Zourabichvili remains the legitimate President of Georgia, Supreme Commander of the Georgian Defence Forces, and the country’s highest representative in foreign relations.
The opposition parties declared that the only way to resolve the political crisis is through new and fair elections, where Georgian citizens can freely choose their leader.
“We, the political parties that won the October 26 elections, do not recognize or accept the self-proclaimed government or any of its institutions, as Ivanishvili staged a constitutional coup against the citizens of Georgia and our country’s European and Euro-Atlantic future,” reads the joint declaration.
Instead of holding elections, Ivanishvili’s regime has resorted to open repression, terror, and torture, resulting in nearly 400 political prisoners being subjected to inhumane treatment. The opposition parties expressed solidarity with the journalists and media representatives who have been targeted by the regime and emphasized that every person using violence against peaceful protesters will face independent justice.
The joint declaration also emphasized that Salome Zourabichvili remains the legitimate representative of the state and that the so-called presidential elections scheduled for December 14 are neither internationally recognized nor legitimate. The opposition parties urged international partners to take further active and decisive steps to support Georgia’s democratic aspirations.
“We appreciate the solidarity of our international partners and urge them to take further action to support Georgia’s transition to a democratic government,” concluded the joint declaration.