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Compiled by Etuna Tsotniashvili
Tuesday September 29
Levan Gachechiladze: I will participate in the Tbilisi Mayoral elections only if this is a joint decision”

Kviris Palitra has published an interview with opposition leader Levan Gachechiladze, who says that opposition unity is crucial in the struggle against Saakashvili and for that reason he maintains good relations with almost all political leaders, including Irakli Alasania, who has recently stated that he will be a candidate in the Tbilisi Mayoral elections.

“Irakli Alasania has decided to take part in the Tbilisi Mayoral elections. Nowadays I am resisting taking part in future elections because I have twice been a candidate in elections rigged by Vano Merabishvili and Levan Tarkhnishvili. The election environment has not yet improved so I have likewise not made any decision concerning the Tbilisi elections, but Irakli knows my opinion,” Gachechiladze said.

“I do not seek a high position, my goal is the dismantling of Saakashvili’s regime. I will participate in the Mayoral elections if this is the joint decision of the opposition parties, because then we would be fulfilling the public demand and have a greater guarantee that we will take Tbilisi from Saakashvili,” he added.

“I will leave for the United States at the end of October, where Philip Gordon has invited me. I am interested in how the relationship between Georgia and the United States has changed since the US new administration took power. If the United States wants a stable country - Georgia - as a friend, it should help us remove Saakashvili peacefully as he is the main source of destabilisation,” Gachechiladze stated.



Lado Papava says opposition members should reclaim their seats in Parliament

Political analyst Lado Papava thinks that the opposition should change their action plans and tactics, Mteli Kvira reports.

“I would think it a positive move if the elected opposition members decided to reclaim their seats in Parliament and use Parliament’s tribune to make statements from. I am not only talking about the United Opposition leaders who tore up their mandates after the elections but also the Labour members who are elected MPs but do not participate in Parliament’s work. If all of these decide to return a real opposition will be created with a platform from which to criticise the authorities,” Papava said.

Asked how he assessed the Alasania-Subari ticket which will be presented at the forthcoming local elections, Papava said: “This is absolutely the right decision [to stand at these elections] and I welcome it, because all kind of methods should be used for political struggle.”



Mamuka Ghlonti addresses Saakashvili

Kviris Palitra writes that the head of Maestro TV, Mamuka Ghlonti, has responded to President Saakashvili’s address to the UN General Assembly by sending him an open letter.

“I remind you that Maestro is a TV company which was deprived of a licence for a long time. I remind you that at this company, journalists have been dispersed by State officials, cameras broken by State representatives and a bomb blast has occurred but none of the abovementioned incidents have been investigated properly. I also want to remind you that many businessmen are being prevented from placing adverts on our station and it is forbidden from broadcasting in various regions of Georgia by State order,” the open letter reads.