Result of a Dialogue with the Government Might be Announcement of Extraordinary Parliamentary Election

Nino Mikiashvili

An internet web site www.presa.ge journalist met Irakli Alasania and interviewed about the meeting between the leaders of law enforcement bodies, the Public Defender of Georgia and the opposition and about his (Irakli Alasania’s) plans for the future.

Irakli Alasania: On the meeting we agreed that the law enforcers will study the cases of 48 persons who we think are arrested for political reasons. They (law enforcers) promised to give the answer about each of them after a week.

We have given them the list of 8 persons who were assaulted and politically persecution in recent times. We demanded that their cases be investigated and perpetrators identified. We consider that they were assaulted because either they were affiliated with various opposition parties or were the actual members of these parties. My main motif for attending this meeting was to reach the release of these detained as soon as possible.

We have agreed that we will have 24 hour a day contact with the leadership of MIA and when we have information that politically motivated crime is being committed we will inform them and we will react together. I think this is a very good mechanism for the prevention of such a crime. A working group will be created. We will name qualified people for the group.

Will the parties that did not attend this meeting participate in this process?

-You should ask them. The parties that attended the meeting agree on cooperation and negotiations as well. We will see the rest in the future.

Did you speak about the beating of Zurab Abashidze?

-We drew attention mostly on other political party representatives. Zurab Abashidze was not on the list we gave them. However, we raised the incident that happened on June 15. We asked why the investigation has not moved forward so far. We are waiting for the response of the law enforcers.

What did they say about the raid of June 15?

- They have one week to respond to the questions. We have agreed that a joint work group meets and discusses the issues we have not agreed upon.

I would like to say once again that this meeting is a positive step from both sides. This is a test for the government; the results will show us whether the government is willing to have real dialogue and negotiations with the opposition or not.

What was the meeting like?

-It was a discussion. They gave us the information about various interesting issues.

You mean discrediting evidence?

No. We demanded in the beginning that this meeting should not have been very political and hysterical. Therefore, the meeting was very calm. There were questions and answers. The conversation was open and frank.

 Did they admit any particular mistakes?

-No. We had not expected any admission from either Merabishvili or other law enforcers.

Did you ask why they had done this or that?

-Of course, we did but I do not want to speak about it. I think what we spoke about in that room should remain in that room. The most important is that we get actual results from this meeting.

What were your expectations before the meeting? Did they (law enforcers) justify them? Some political experts had been rather skeptical about the meeting.

-I had expected and had been optimistic that the president would accept my offer I vocalized on the meeting of Security Council. My expectation was justified, the meeting was appointed. Of course, the skepticism of the society has serious grounds but then please let those experts of others name other ways how we can release the innocent people from prisons if there is no dialogue and agreement with the government in this regard.

Do you think attacks and beatings will stop after a week?

-I do not want to make prognosis and speculate with what happens next week. If I had not believed that there will be some positive changes I would not have gone to the meeting.

Do you know how your rating changed after you went to the session of the Security Council or to the MIA?

-I have thought about it and I have not checked. I want to say again, it is important for me to have particular result, to release innocent people. I assume that great part of the society wants that the opposition and the government find the way out of this crisis together i.e. the politicians reach an agreement.

Do you think the result might be an extraordinary parliamentary elections and this dialogue continues in the parliament?

-If this meeting is successful, the opposition and the society will start to have confidence in political negotiations which will change the election environment in the country dramatically.  First of all election environment must change before the elections are held. Changing election environment means depolitisation of the police, lift pressure on the media and change of election code and Central Election Commission. We will be able to think about appointment the day for elections together only after this.

The final decision has not been made but so far only the snap election of Tbilisi City Mayor is appointed.

Will your party take part in this election if the election environment is changed? 

-I have said many times and I repeat again if the election environment is changed we will take part in any election.

Source: presa.ge