Gogi Topadze, leader of the Rightist Alliance-Topadze-Industrialists election bloc, said he did not hope his bloc would clear 5% election threshold needed to endorse MP candidates through proportional, party-list system in the May 21 parliamentary elections.

He, however, said the bloc would try to endorse its majoritarian MP candidates in the new parliament.

Rightist Alliance–Topadze Industrialists election bloc unites three parties - the Industrialist, the National-Democratic Party (NDP) and Ertoba (Unity), the party led by MP Jumber Patiashvili.

Some majoritarian MP candidates of the bloc, including Zurab Tkemaladze of the Industrialist Party (in Sagarejo) and Jumber Patiashvili (in Gori) have withdrawn from the race. The bloc, however, still has its candidates running in 25 single-mandate constituencies from out of total 75.

Speaking at the press conference on May 15 Gogi Topadze also said that he expected that the ruling party would have about 75-80 seats in the new 150-member parliament and the nine-party opposition bloc- about 20 seats. He also said the Christian-Democratic Party and Labor Party would also clear the 5% threshold.

Topadze also alleged that the authorities had “satellite” parties acting as “opposition ones.” He, however, declined to specify.

He also said that if the authorities “overstep critical limits” in terms of ballot rigging, it may trigger unrests in the country.