Georgian Opposition Raises the Heat

The political temperature in Georgia is higher than at any time since the 2003 Rose Revolution, following the formation of a new opposition alliance in the wake of the arrest of former defence minister Irakli Okruashvili.



The Georgian authorities insist there is no political crisis, and have levelled further criminal charges against Okruashvili, who was arrested on 27 September. (See “Georgian Ex-Minister Arrested After Denouncing President”, CRS No. 412)



The arrest of this former close ally of President Mikheil Saakashvili came after a series of lurid allegations in which Okruashvili accused the president of presiding over corruption and ordering the murder of media magnate Badri Patarkatsishvili.



He made the accusations during the televised launch of his new party, the Movement for a United Georgia, on September 25.



Returning home from a trip to the United Nations in New York, President Saakashvili described the accusations as "false," but did not give a detailed response to the claims.



"The author of these statements knows better than others that this is a lie," he said, adding that Okruashvili's arrest was part of an ongoing anti-corruption campaign and "has nothing to do with politics".



"There should be no untouchable people," said Saakashvili. "This is the way I govern and this is the way we govern - the supremacy of the law, and putting everyone who breaks the law where they belong."



Okruashvili was charged with extortion, money laundering, abuse of office and exceeding his professional authority when he was arrested. On October 3, Georgia’s general prosecutor's office added an additional accusation – that he engaged in the illegal procurement of aviation fuel for the defence ministry during his tenure as minister.



Opposition leaders claim the decision to arrest Okruashvili was made not by the prosecution service, but in a Paris restaurant where President Saakashvili, Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili, and Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava were reportedly spotted sitting at the same table.



"I know this from an eyewitness, my friend who was in the café at the time,” Salome Zourabichvili, the leader of the opposition Georgia's Way and a former foreign minister, told IWPR. “It’s a small world. They thought no one would understand Georgian there, and they were speaking loudly."



The arrest has served as a catalyst for the opposition, uniting politicians who otherwise have little in common, including many who in the past were antagonists of Okruashvili.



Several different opposition parties united for a rally attended by 10,000 to 15,000 people outside the Georgian parliament on September 28 to call for "Georgia without a president" and "the release of political prisoner Okruashvili".



It was by far the biggest public protest since the bloodless Rose Revolution four years ago that brought Saakashvili to power.



Nine opposition parties and one non-governmental organisation have come together to form a movement which is calling for the Okruashvili’s release, an early parliamentary election. and constitutional changes to make Georgia into a parliamentary republic. The alliance consists of almost all the major opposition forces except the liberal New Rights party, which has refused to join.



"A European-type parliamentary republic without any bosses or messiahs should be created," Tina Khidasheli, one of the leaders of the opposition Republican Party, told IWPR.



In a joint statement, the still unnamed movement announced plans to stage a protest rally in Tbilisi on November 2, to be preceded by four weeks of campaigning across Georgia.



The events of the last week have inflicted damage on President Saakashvili, who until recently faced no large-scale political opposition.



Some voters say recent developments have shaken their confidence in the president.



“Of course I now see the authorities in a new light,” Nana Alania, 29, told IWPR. “Saakashvili has become a president facing accusations, and his statement was very general. We are still awaiting more precise answers from him about Okruashvili’s accusations. And he should also explain why Okruashvili was the second [most senior] person in the country, if he was as corrupt as they are now saying.”



Temur Svanidze, 63, said, “The Okruashvili case has confirmed only one thing – everyone in power today is corrupt, and they get forgiven only if they keep quiet and don’t go over to he opposition…. Now that I know this, how can I trust the president or the authorities?”



Others reserve their mistrust for the former defence minister.



“I definitely don’t believe a word of what Okruashvili said,” said Lia Archvadze, 56. “After these events, it’s actually my view of the opposition that’s changed. Before this, I didn’t respect them very much, but now I see that these are people who are prepared to do anything to win power – even to defend Okruashvili, who they said was a monster two days ago.”



Georgian political analyst Giorgi Khutsishvili argues that public confidence in the Saakashvili administration has taken a bad knock.



"The people have seen a picture that is not very pleasant,” he said. “The leader of a newly-created party has been arrested. Okruashvili's party office and his home were searched in breach of proper procedures, and that was followed by the persecution of businessmen who are on friendly terms with him. The reason is simple - the authorities suspect that these people are funding the new party.



“Voters are asking what happens next, and saying that the authorities are fighting not just their opponents, but those who support them. That shouldn’t be happening in a civilised country."



Another Georgian analyst Ghia Nodia said that the current crisis marks a "retreat for democracy" in Georgia insofar as it is eroding popular trust in politicians He said it would be hard for the authorities to convince people that Okruashvili’s arrest was not politically motivated.



At the same time, he said these events were a "normal process" for a country in a state of transitional democracy.



He also said that the coming together of opposition politicians, some of whom had been fierce critics of Okruashvili until recently, looked unconvincing.



The figure of Okruashvili – until his sacking last year the most hawkish member of the government -"is completely unsuited for the role of an innocent knight martyred for democracy," Nodia said.



Alexander Rondeli, head of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, said that if further developments took “a civilised form”, there would be nothing to worry about. “However, if events unfold in an unacceptable manner, this will mean that we are politically backward," he said.



Rondeli warned that the crisis could hurt Georgia’s prospects of moving towards membership of international organisations like NATO.



One of the leaders of the Rose Revolution, parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze, also issued a veiled warning to the president. While roundly condemning Okruashvili and calling his allegations “absurd”, Burjanadze - who recently criticised a government reshuffle - said that the system for making official appointments was in need of “serious review and serious analysis”.



“The polarisation of interests between the authorities and society is absolutely unacceptable for this country, as are a polarisation between political parties and society or a polarisation between the authorities and the opposition,” she warned.



Khutsishvili argues that the best way to restore trust in the political process would be to set up an independent commission to investigate the accusations which Okruashvili levelled against President Saakashvili. He called last week’s opposition rally “a serious statement” that deserved a proper response.



"This country is waiting for specific answers to all the accusations,” he said.



Veriko Tevzadze is a correspondent for 24 Hours newspaper in Tbilisi.