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Six opposition parties in Georgia sign unity declaration: What does it mean?


Georgian opposition Declaration of Unity

Six opposition parties have signed the “Declaration of Unity of the Georgian Opposition.” This document outlines their commitment to unite both before and after the elections.

The parties declare that they are coming together around the goals set forth in the “Georgian Charter,” presented by the country’s president, Salome Zurabishvili.

Declaration of Unity of the Georgian opposition

The “Declaration of Unity of the Georgian Opposition” has been signed by six opposition parties: “National Movement,” “Girchi – More Freedom,” “Ahali,” “Lelo,” “Droa,” and “Strategy Aghmashenebeli.”

The parties signed the document in Brussels and agreed to:

  • “Free the state from oligarchy and the rule of the ‘Georgian Dream’ party, which is under the control of Bidzina Ivanishvili”
  • “Return Georgia to the path of swift integration into the European Union”
  • “Do everything possible to achieve a convincing victory in the elections”

The parties commit to protecting each voter’s voice and ensuring that overcoming the five-percent threshold is not an issue.

They also state that:

  • By July 8, 2024, they will determine the most effective configuration for unity.
  • They will avoid attacking each other.
  • They will agree to form a unified ruling coalition after the elections.
  • They will commit to not voting for the formation of a government that includes “Georgian Dream” in the new parliament.
  • They will support a single candidate for the presidency in the presidential elections.

The signatories of the declaration state that they ask their Western partners to use all available means to protect the right of Georgian citizens to participate in fair and transparent elections, “as this possibility may be deliberately restricted by the ‘Georgian Dream’ government.”

The parties signing the declaration call on the ODIHR/OSCE, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, and other agencies to ensure close monitoring of the parliamentary elections.