President to hold talks with opposition leaders amid calls for electoral unity against incumbent power


Author
Front News Georgia
Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia’s President, is scheduled to meet with opposition leaders at the Atoneli residence today following her criticism of the Georgian Dream ruling party for reintroducing the controversial foreign agents bill the previous day, and her calls for opposition unity ahead of the October general elections.
Expected attendees include Salome Samadashvili, Anna Natsvlishvili, Khatia Dekanoidze, Tina Bokuchava, Aleko Elisashvili, Teona Akubardia, and Eka Beselia, along with members of the For Georgia party.
Additionally, Zourabichvili has extended an invitation to the Akhali party, founded by Nika Melia, the former chair of the United National Movement opposition party, and Nika Gvaramia, the former UNM official and media manager pardoned by Zourabichvili last year.
Eka Beselia, leader of the Justice party, emphasized the significance of President Zourabichvili’s recent address, calling it a pivotal moment for collaborative efforts among political factions.
“The president’s recent address struck a chord and served as a crucial rallying point. It emphasized the imperative for political parties to unite under a shared vision – one that centers around Georgia’s democratic and European aspirations. This alignment on fundamental principles will offer clarity to voters and pave the way for a cohesive coalition government,” Beselia affirmed.
Zourabichvili announced her commitment on Wednesday to spearhead opposition unity in the upcoming October general elections, aiming to replace the current Georgian Dream authorities following their resubmission of the contentious foreign agents bill.
During her press briefing, Zourabichvili reiterated her stance against the draft law, labeling it as a “Russian law” and accusing the Georgian Dream government of being aligned with Russian interests. She condemned the bill, emphasizing the need for Georgia to assert its European values through the democratic process of elections.
“We must approach the elections with maximum mobilization, united under one European flag – potentially with multiple parties but aligned under a shared European vision,” Zourabichvili emphasized. “This signifies the expansion and consolidation of our society, a national consensus on Europe, and I will champion this cause until the end.”
In March 2023, the initial attempt to pass the “Foreign Agents” law faced significant opposition and ultimately failed. Despite objections from various sectors of Georgian society and the opposition, the parliament approved the draft law “On the transparency of foreign influence” in its first reading on March 7, 2023, leading to clashes during protests and injuries to several citizens.
Georgian Dream’s parliamentary majority has rebuffed accusations of aligning with Russian interests or impeding European integration, asserting that transparency and public awareness were the primary aims of the proposed legislation.
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