Less than a month after the Parliament adopted a statement condemning Russia’s “attempt to annex occupied Abkhazia” through a new treaty currently negotiated between Sokhumi and Moscow, lawmakers from opposition UNM party called on the legislative body to pass a resolution on the same issue.

UNM’s push for a Parliament resolution comes few days before its planned rally in Tbilisi center on November 15 to protest against, what it calls, Georgian government’s inaction amid Russia’s “attempt to annex” Georgia’s breakaway region. UNM also runs TV ads about its planned rally. Speaking at a parliamentary session on November 12, UNM MP Nugzar Tsiklauri said that November 15 will mark the launch of a “decisive struggle” against government’s “capitulationist” policy vis-à-vis Russia.

Wearing white t-shirts reading “No to Annexation” and “November 15”, UNM lawmakers at a parliamentary session on November 12 tried in vain to put the draft resolution directly in Wednesday’s agenda of Parliament’s work, but their demand was rejected as the proposal has yet to go through other procedures, including parliamentary committee hearing, before it is put for discussion at a plenary session.

When on October 17 the Parliament adopted the statement proposed by GD ruling coalition, UNM refused to support it and instead pushed for its draft resolution, which was calling for Georgia’s withdrawal from informal bilateral talks with Russia. UNM MPs said on November 12 that their new draft resolution was “balanced” and “moderate”, which should not cause any major divergence of opinions among the lawmakers.