Majority of United Opposition MPs Gave up Parliamentary Mandate Seats

Today Eka Beselia, Pikria Chikhradze, Zviad Dzidziguri, Davit Saganelidze, Goga Khaindrava, Gubaz Sanikidze, Koba Davitashvili, Davit Gamkrelidze, Mamuka Katsitadze, Levan Gachechiladze and Manana Nachkebia have official renounced their parliamentary mandate seats.  
The members of the United Opposition sent an official letter to Davit Bakradze, the new Speaker of the Georgian Parliament They requested that he take back their parliamentary mandates as if they were never grated in the first place.  The official letter says that the Parliamentary Elections of May 21, 2008 were not in line with the most fundamental principles of free and fair elections. ”The election administration was appointed under the single party dictatorship (meaning the ruling National Movement). Furthermore, those TV stations that were willing to show balanced news were closed down. And others that continued to operate did not present election related news in a balanced fashion.

Opposition representative also told how the police had become more active in terrorizing the Georgian  population in order to obtain the desired results. Fraud was realized in the form of artificially inflated voter lists, faked IDs were issued and  administrative resources and public funds were used to influence the vote. There were also were incidents of bribes being paid and cases of opposition supporters been intimidated as well  as voters. Consequently, the United Opposition does not recognize the election results which were announced by Levan Tarkhnishvili, head of the Central Election Commission.  We do not recognize the new parliament that  was created through voting procedural violations. Therefore, we demand this parliament to stop functioning in accordance with Sub paragraph A of Paragraph II of Article 54 of the Constitution of Georgia,” state the opposition members in their official letter.

The Members of the United Opposition held a briefing in front of the Parliament hall and called upon  all Georgians to take part in a resistance movement for the purpose of  calling for new and free elections.

Jondi Baghaturia did not sign the official letter.

Davit Gamkrelidze, one of the leaders of the United Opposition stated that the ones who will not leave the parliamentary mandates will be dismissed from membership in the United Opposition.

Irakli Iashvili did not sign the letter as well. Gamkrelidze said that Iashvili is not in Georgia at present. He said Iashvili will sign the document later upon his return.  ”Unfortunately, in Georgia very many people sold their voices for 20-30 GEL. I declare that no one can and no one will ever be able to bribe us. I call upon oppositional parties to join with us in the struggle against tyranny, ” stated Koba Davitashvili.

Source: Medianews