The ten-party opposition bloc has welcomed President Saakashvili’s proposal to hold snap presidential elections on January 5.

There was a celebratary mood at the Republican Party headquarters, which hosted a session of the Coordinating Council – an ad-hoc body set up more than a month ago by the ten opposition parties to coordinate the push for parliamentary elections in spring, instead of late 2008.

“We have been offering the president a painless solution - parliamentary elections in spring,” Davit Usupashvili, leader of the Republican Party, said. “But Saakashvili’s and his inner circle’s stubbornness and the authorities’ absolutely inappropriate response to peaceful demonstrations have trapped him in a very difficult situation. I think President Saakashvili has found the best solution to the existing situation and this solution is, I think, good both for him and the country.”

“This is a victory of the people, a demonstration of the people's unity and is a huge success,” MP Giorgi Tsagareishvili of Movement for United Georgia Party, said. “We should capitalise on this success and win the January 5 elections. It is absolutely unimaginable that Saakashvili will be re-elected.”

“This was a great success for the Georgian people, who did not step back, despite huge pressure from the authorities,” MP Zviad Dzidziguri of the Conservative Party said.