Four non-parliamentary opposition parties - the New Georgia, the European Democrats, the Civil Alliance for Freedom and the New Unity for Georgia - decided to join forces for the municipal polls in October, the party leaders announced on August 4.

Speaking at the joint presentation on Friday, Giorgi Vashadze, Chairman of the New Georgia party, called on the mayoral candidates in Tbilisi “to forget narrow party interests” and to unite for the upcoming polls.

“We must defeat the Georgian Dream party; we must defeat the informal governance so that the country continues normal development,” Vashadze stated, reiterating his earlier calls for holding primaries to identify the opposition candidates for city mayors and Sakrebulo (municipal councils) members across the country.

Paata Davitaia, Chairman of the European Democrats, said that the new political union would not nominate its candidate for Tbilisi mayor before receiving answers of other opposition parties to their proposal. “We are not asking for standing together with us, we are calling for standing together,” Davitaia added.

Opposition groups, which have already nominated candidates for Tbilisi mayor, met the offer with skepticism.

Representatives of the United National Movement and the European Georgia consider unification possible, but only in the second round of elections and against the ruling party member. Independent candidate Aleko Elisashvili, commented on the initiative as well, calling it “not serious.”