In a letter sent to President Saakashvili and Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, opposition politicians said there was need to solve four urgent problems in order to prevent crisis in the country.

The letter, which was sent on October 17, outlines the following four issues:

• Holding of parliamentary elections in spring 2008;
• Creation of new election administrations with representatives from political parties;
• Change of the current majoritarian election system – a first-past-the-post, “winner takes all” system;
• Release of “political prisoners” and “prisoners of conscience.”

The four demands have been short listed from a manifesto signed by ten opposition parties earlier on October 17. The manifesto outlines their policy priorities.

The letter was sent to the country’s leadership a day after President Saakashvili proposed number of new initiatives and called for a constructive political dialogue.