European Georgia will not join the Declaration of Unity signed by six opposition parties. The party states that they support the establishment of several centers of political gravity against Bidzina Ivanishvili and do not consider unity with the National Movement.
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European Georgia believes that it is necessary for the opposition parties to unite around the goal of returning Georgia to the Euro-Atlantic family.
"In response to this legitimate request, we joined the president's initiative and signed the Georgian Charter, which outlines the essential steps that should be taken after the regime change to return to the path of Euro-Atlantic integration. We welcome the reaffirmation of the Charter's terms by some opposition parties in the so-called declaration of opposition unity.
Despite the points of agreement, European Georgia does not sign the declaration because:
1. For a long time, we have announced that we will not consider unity with the National Movement primarily because limiting the choices for voters and offering a single list does not serve the task of unequivocally defeating Ivanishvili. In addition, we consider the model of shadow management based on the cult of personality, with which the National Movement has been operating for the last years, to be anti-democratic. We firmly believe that mixing other opposition parties with such a force will only damage Georgian democracy and disappoint voters.
2. We believe that the task of mobilizing opposition votes will be better served by several centers of political gravity. We have already announced that we will consult with those parties that are ready to be allies, on the one hand, in defeating Ivanishvili, and on the other hand, in neutralizing the anti-democratic influence of Saakashvili/Kezerashvili for the benefit of Georgian citizens.
3. We believe that debates between parties on substantive and systemic issues are vital for informing voters. At the same time, we consider it impossible not to criticize the actions of some opposition forces, especially the National Movement, which undermines the task of defeating Ivanishvili.
4. Before the 2018 presidential elections, European Georgia signed a similar agreement with the National Movement at the initiative of the European People's Party. This agreement was not only demonstratively violated but also mocked by the presidential candidate of the National Movement, Grigol Vashadze. None of the leaders of the National Movement was bothered by the violation of the agreement and will not be until the opposition voters hold this party accountable for all the violated agreements. We believe that this will happen with the defeat of the Ivanishvili regime in the 2024 elections,” the party's statement said.
The National Movement, Lelo, Droa, Ahali, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, and Girchi - More Freedom have signed the Declaration of Unity of the Georgian Opposition, indicating unification before and after the October 26 parliamentary elections. The parties pledge to refrain from attacking each other, they will not vote for the formation of a government in the new parliament in which Georgian Dream will participate, and they will support a single presidential candidate. As Zurab Japaridze, the leader of Girchi - More Freedom says, the development and signing of the joint declaration was the idea of several MEPs. Irakli Kupradze, General Secretary of Lelo, noted that the document does not reflect support for a unified list.
