President Saakashvili has welcomed a deal made by the ruling party with several opposition parties on June 27 over electoral system reform.

“The President welcomes the completion of this important political process and hopes that this agreement will become an additional guarantee for holding of yet another fair and democratic election in Georgia,” Manana Manjgaladze, the Georgian President’s spokesperson, said on June 28.

The deal was joined by the ruling National Movement party, as well as Christian-Democratic Movement, New Rights (these two latter formally members of group of eight) and few other parties. Six opposition parties, formally part of the group of eight, have rejected to join the deal, saying that it was failing to secure fair electoral environment in the country.