No Clarity about Talks

Only some aspects of talks between the opposition and the authorities emerged on January 16, but details still remain sketchy. 
 
The opposition is seeking an equal say in the operation of the election administration and the judiciary, MP Zviad Dzidziguri of the Conservative Party, part of the nine-party opposition coalition, said on January 16. He said that a run-off would be pointless if television, the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the judiciary remained, as he put it, biased in favor of the authorities. He added that these issues had been raised during discussions with the authorities.

“We have already achieved success regarding the Georgian Public Broadcaster,” Dzidziguri said in comments aired on Mze TV. “Of course, we will have similar demands regarding the Central Election Commission and the judiciary – these are the main issues we need to secure ahead of the second round of the presidential election.”

MP Dzidziguri said that the opposition should have equal representation in the CEC. The opposition currently has six members in the main election body, while the remaining seven seats are occupied by pro-government appointees. He said the opposition was also pushing for changes in the composition of the Justice Council – the body in charge of overseeing the performance of the judicial system.

His colleague from the same party, MP Kakha Kukava, meanwhile, said on January 16 that the opposition wanted criminal charges brought against Levan Tarkhnishvili, the chairman of the CEC, for “stealing the vote” in favor of Mikheil Saakashvili.

MP Gia Tsagareishvili of the Movement for United Georgia, also part of the opposition coalition, said on January 16 that opposition control of the Chamber of Control – the main state audit agency – was another demand.

Although most politicians from the nine-party opposition coalition still publicly insist on a run-off between Saakashvili and their candidate, Levan Gachechiladze, there have been signs that they are ready to give way. Davit Zurabishvili, a lawmaker from the Republican Party, part of the opposition coalition, told InterPressNews on January 16 that the opposition would, assuming their demands for a run-off or a recount were not met, prepare for the parliamentary elections by focusing on “the fact that Saakashvili is an illegitimate president.”

Signs of an opposition climb-down on their key demands have gone hand in hand with a vocal "no surrender" rhetoric. MP Levan Berdzenishvili, also from the Republican Party, told Civil.Ge on January 16 that the on-going negotiations “can not be called negotiations, because we are not going to make any compromise.” A similar note was struck by Gachechiladze on January 15, maintaining he was “speaking” rather than “negotiating” with the authorities.
 
Officials, meanwhile, have remained tight-lipped, fearing public scrutiny could scupper the process.

An opposition coalition news conference – due for noon on January 17 – is expected to shed some light on the continued confusion surrounding the negotiations.