From the United States the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili responded to the critique of the opposition and stated that the government is ready to discuss the options proposed from the opposition, if the opposition is able to reach a consensus. The President also indicated the possible date for the Parliamentary elections, he noted that he discussed this issue with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia and it was decided that the elections would be held on May 21, 2008.
"According to the results of the referendum, our Parliament must consist of 150 members, but for our national interests and for the consensus between opposition parties, we are ready to explain to our citizens, that it is worth adding 35 members. But we can arrange it only if all political parties agree to it. Sometimes we get impression that the opposition parties can easily agree on radicalization and on exacerbate the situation, but it is very difficult for them to agree on how to solve the situation. It is very important to reach a common decision - we must work, we must obey the rules of game - to get the most representative Parliament. Than no one in Georgia would have any concerns about the Parliament anymore. I am ready, to come out with an initiative after the parliament elections and delegate to it some additional functions and presidential prerogatives, letting the Georgian democracy be on the firm ground.
But we need a dialogue and cooperation on the main issues. We need to find a common language. It should be done between the government and the opposition, as well as between the different groups within the opposition", stated the President of Georgia.
Press Office
of the President of Georgia