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Georgian opposition begins mass protest actions

26 May 2008 12:22 (UTC +04:00)

They have entered to the square in front of the parliament several minutes later after the military parade dedicated to the Georgian Independence Day. Police task forces didnâ€™t prevent them and left the square. One of the opposition leaders Levan Gachechiladze condemned the United States in dictating the election results to the Central Election Commission. â€œNo opposition parties will join this parliament. I donâ€™t care what the US and Europe are thinking. We should struggle for the interests of our people. This struggle is directed against the lying policy of the United States and other countries and world geopoliticsâ€. New rightist leader from the United Opposition group David Gamkrelidze said they have signed special memorandum about the non-recognition of the election results and non-participation in the parliament and demands for new elections. Konstantin Gamsakhurdia, son of the first president of independent Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia and leader of Freedom Movement, said he had no intentions to play in spectacle directed by Mikhail Saakashvili and written by Matthew Bryza. Leader of Labor Party Shalva Natelashvili announced their joining to the United Opposition. â€œOur union will force Saakashvili regime to the break-up. Georgia has never held such elections and Georgian people will not forgive itâ€. Another opposition leader Koba Davitashvili delivered ultimatum to the president. He said Saakashvili should publicly recognize that elections results were falsified within the two hours. â€œIf he will not meet our demands, the people will move toward his place and will demand him to respondâ€. Davitashvili called on the Central Election Commission not to announce the official result of the elections. He called on the Public Television to broadcast opposition meeting in live program and said otherwise they would march toward the television building.
The United Opposition received 16, Labor Party and Christian-Democratic Movement 6 mandates for each in the parliament elections on May 21.