Irakli Alasania, leader of opposition Alliance for Georgia, said opposition’s victory in the upcoming local elections “will be inevitable” in case of unity.

“It is natural that we should run united in these elections. Victory will be inevitable in that case. So we will establish that unity… We are in the process of negotiations; there are various forms through which the unity can be reached,” Alasania said on February 16, without giving details.

Alasania, who leads the three-party alliance, which apart of his Our Georgia-Free Democrats also includes Republican and New Rights parties, runs for Tbilisi mayoral office. Ex-public defender, Sozar Subari, is his running mate, contending for the post of Tbilisi City Council chairmanship.

Tbilisi mayor will be elected in direct vote; a candidate having most of the votes, but not less than 30% will be declared an outright winner. A ruling party candidate – an incumbent mayor Gigi Ugulava is most likely to be the one – is believed to be better positioned under this rule if there are many candidates running, thus splitting an overall opposition votes.