A new political union Third Force will hold a presentation on Monday. The Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Republican Party, Free Democrats and Grigol Vashadze, former chair of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, would form the political grouping.

Politicians in Georgia echoed the upcoming presentation during the day, though opinions divided.

The Lelo for Georgia party welcomed the idea in general. One of its leaders said, “the more players enter the political field, the more choice citizens have”. But the party’s main objective is preventing the ruling party Georgian Dream party from gaining the majority of votes and crossing the 40% election threshold.

Parliamentary opposition Girchi party wished success to a new political union, though its leader Iago Khvichia believes “it is better to have an ambition for being the first force to have more chances to succeed.”

Labor Party leader Shalva Natelashvili said he hardly believes this new political union hardly deserves any in-depth analysis either is anyhow promising. Natelashvili claimed leader of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party Giorgi Vashadze had always distanced himself from the opposition.

The ruling team voiced their skeptical approach too. Member of the parliamentary majority Guram Macharashvili said both Giorgi and Grigol Vashadzes come from the United National Movement. For him, this rearrangement hardly changes anything.

Irakli Kadagishvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Procedural Issues, stated Georgian citizens would hardly see the third force after regrouping. “This union can hardly form a third force before the October 2 elections. They have neither composition and political course nor other conditions to become the third force in Georgian politics. I think this is a statement of desire rather than a reality that we can get in self-government elections,” Kadagishvili said.

Another ruling party MP Shalva Papuashvili believes Strategy Aghmashenebeli earlier qualified for the prime ministerial post but realized now it should be satisfied with running as the third force.

Mikheil Sarjveladze, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, stated the new political union chose the wrong policy, trying to expel the government and some opposition parties from politics. MP told reporters that Giorgi Vashadze’s team is trying to hunt for the votes of those citizens who support neither the opposition nor the government.

“The Third Force is a free, open platform, uniting both political forces and independent politicians, successful professionals,” said Strategy Agmashenebeli member Sergo Chikhladze on August 29.

The local elections are scheduled for October 2.