The third president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, who is currently in prison, is calling on the Ahali party to unite with the coalition Unity - National Movement for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
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"At the beginning, it was my initiative to unite all of us. Since that hasn't worked, I am once again putting forward the initiative to Ahali members so that we can still unite.
The larger we are, the stronger we become. The National Movement will come out on top in all scenarios in this election. I have no doubt, as people have reevaluated everything. The National Movement has many new faces, new ideas, and fresh energy," Mikheil Saakashvili said during the court session of the November 7 case, in which he participated remotely from the Vivamed clinic.
Saakashvili also said he welcomes the unification of ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s party For Georgia and Mamuka Khazaradze’s Lelo coalition, as he believes it is a step in the right direction.
Shortly after the court session began, it became clear that an agreement between Gakharia and Khazaradze had not been reached. As per Gakharia’s party, they put aside their party interests and sacrificed everything, but "it seems the other side could not reach internal consensus." In contrast, Mamuka Khazaradze stated that he was ready to sign the agreement on behalf of the Strong Georgia coalition.
"The only thing I want to say is this: I respect the members of the coalition who stand with us, regardless of their size and weight. Who has more people is not how I view partnerships. We presented a united position. There is parity between us - the former Lelo and Gakharia's party - and we agreed on that. The three people who joined the coalition, for whom we even changed the name to Strong Georgia, and who are no longer part of Lelo, should have been considered an additional part of this already large coalition. No further details are needed; I believe everything is clear," Khazaradze told journalists.
Opposition political parties have formed several coalitions to participate in the October 26 parliamentary elections:
- Coalition for Change - composed of Ahali, Girchi - More Freedom, Droa, Republicans, and the group of ethnic Azerbaijani activists Activists for the Future;
- Strong Georgia - including Lelo, Anna Dolidze's party For the People, the political movement Freedom Square, Aleko Elisashvili's party Citizens, and the movement GEN Z for Europe;
- Unity - National Movement - a coalition of the United National Movement, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, European Georgia, political scientist Gia Japaridze, historian Lasha Bakradze, and independent parliament deputies Armaz Akhvlediani and Tamar Kordzaia.
The party For Georgia had been running independently until now. On September 16, President Salome Zourabichvili called on Giorgi Gakharia and Mamuka Khazaradze to unite. According to the president, undecided voters are waiting for a positive third center, one capable of creating the momentum needed for full mobilization in society.
