November 7 Marked with ‘New Drive’ for Early Polls

On November 7 a group of opposition parties marked with a protest rally first year anniversary of the police break up anti-government demonstration and launch of, as it put it, “new wave” of campaign with an eventual goal to achieve early parliamentary and presidential elections in spring, 2009.

Thousands of opposition supporters – estimations varied from 10,000 to 15,000 – gathered outside the parliament earlier on Friday; later the protesters, carrying banners with slogans, including – Stop Russia, Stop Misha – marched towards the presidential residence and then dispersed peacefully.

“Today we are launching new wave of civil resistance… which will last until we achieve free elections,” Kakha Kukava, co-leader of Conservative Party, told the rally. “We have offered de facto authorities [this is how some opposition parties usually refer to the President and the Parliament claiming that both the presidential and parliamentary elections were rigged], our hand of cooperation in order to achieve national accord, conciliation, but the only response we have received was: No.”

On November 6 evening, five opposition parties – those, which participated in the November 7 rally: New Rights Party; Conservative Party; People’s Party; Labor Party; Movement for United Georgia – released a leaflet aimed at informing supporters about their plans for next five months. It says that the opposition would hold series of rallies periodically before April 9, 2009 and if their demands are not met “national disobedience campaign and round-the-clock” protest rallies would launch.

“We have failed to change these authorities last year… But we will definitely achieve this goal and we will certainly return Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, which were lost by the Saakashvili’s regime,” Shalva Natelashvili, the Labor Party leader, told the rally outside the Parliament.

“Today Saakashvili himself represents a powder keg, which is placed in this country,” Zviad Dzidziguri, co-leader of Conservative Party, told the rally. “Neither the United States, nor Europe needs Saakashvili any more. Russia is the only country in the world which needs Saakashvili in power in Georgia. Saakashvili has implemented Russia’s plan by 100%.”

“We have the only goal – to change these authorities and bring it to justice,” Koba Davitashvili, the leader of Party of People, told the rally. “We can not give a guarantee to anyone that if he resigns peacefully he will avoid punishment.”

Levan Gachechiladze, a former opposition presidential candidate, told the supporters to show patience and to achieve the goal gradually. He also told the rally “not to get tired of struggle.”

“Many [of opposition supporters] are upset and saying why we are not putting an end [to the current authorities] today; why we have not put an end yesterday and day before yesterday; but we should know that this deed should not end in a way that may lead to Georgia’s defeat,” he sad.

“We should achieve his [Saakashvili’s] resignation,” Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of New Rights Party, said. “I can say with full responsibility that today our country is facing two threats: one is Russia with its imperial aggression… and another is Mikheil Saakashvili. We should cope with the both of these threats.”

Turnout at the November 7 rally was much fewer than it was last year and it did not come as a surprise for some analysts. 

Iago Kachkachishvili, sociologist and professor at Tbilisi State University, says the most recent public opinion surveys in Tbilisi showed there was little enthusiasm towards the protest rallies among the capital city residents.

“The poll showed that only 5% of those surveyed in Tbilisi were in favor of anti-government protest rally on November 7,” Kachkachishvili told RFE/RL Georgian service on November 7, referring to a survey conducted by his organization, Institute of Social Studies and Analysis, in October.

“There is two major trend in public opinion – the first one according to which there is no time for anti-government protest rallies after the Russian aggression and the second one, according to which although Russian aggression is not an excuse for forgetting what has happened last November, but the demand of that part of respondents is not protest rallies, but the investigation of the November events.”

He also said that although President Saakashvili’s support among respondents was low – 26%, with other politicians even lower – “significant majority” of the respondents in Tbilisi were still against of early presidential and parliamentary elections. “This is a clear indication that the society has increased sense of fear towards destabilization, especially after the August war,” Kachkachishvili said. “It is now impossible to say how long this stance will be maintained.”

Meanwhile, leaders of the Christian-Democratic Party – a leading force in the parliamentary minority group – refused to join the rally outside the parliament, but gathered outside the Imedi TV premises, which was raided by the police on November 7 evening after breaking up anti-government demonstration. Giorgi Targamadze, the leader of the Christian-Democratic Party, as well as some other key figures in the party, are former journalists of the Imedi TV.