Opposition leaders make a joint statement in Tbilisi on January 17. Photo: InterPressNews

The nine-party opposition coalition said it would not recognize Mikheil Saakashvili as the legitimate president and would not cooperate with him.

In a statement read out on behalf of the bloc by Salome Zourabichvili, leader of Georgia’s Way Party, at a joint press conference on January 17, the coalition laid out its key demands, which, it said, would “restore civil unity” after the parliamentary elections scheduled for this spring.

The demands are addressed to Parliament, suggesting that although the opposition refuses to cooperate personally with President-elect Saakashvili, it is ready to negotiate with the legislative body, in particular, with Nino Burjanadze, the parliamentary speaker and current acting President.

The coalition called on Parliament, describing it as “the legitimate legislative body,” to immediately take measures to stop “all forms of political persecution” against the opposition, “including those arrested or punished” for participating in the November street protests.

It also called for the end of “illegal phone tapping and intimidation” and the creation of “an efficient system to monitor law enforcement agencies.”

Other demands include parity-based election administrations at all three levels and the appointment of the chairman of the Central Election Commission by agreement between the government and the opposition. Currently the opposition parties have six representatives in the CEC and precinct election commissions; the remaining seven seats are occupied by pro-government members. District Election Commissions are composed of five certified election officials, who formally have no party affiliation. However, the opposition claims they are all loyal to the authorities.
 
The opposition also wants the board of trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) to be composed “on a parity basis,” too. The GPB director-general should, likewize, be appointed “by agreement between the sides.”

“It will be possible to resume public trust in elections and restore civil unity after the parliamentary elections only if these demands are met and relevant changes are made to promote an independent judiciary, increase the parliament’s role and secure freedom of business,” the statement reads.

The opposition coalition also said it would challenge the “pompous inauguration” of Saakashvili with “a large-scale protest rally” at 2pm local time on January 20 to be held at the Tbilisi Hippodrome.

The opposition wanted to hold the rally in downtown Tbilisi, but the capital city’s municipality said it was not possible because all the venues named by the opposition had already been earmarked for inauguration-related purposes.