Battle of nerves continues for Georgia's politicians
Inside Georgia the political stand-off is viewed very much as a battle of nerves, a situation where neither side is willing to back down and preferring to wait instead for the other side to weaken.
Most hope a full scale civil confrontation can be avoided, and doubt whether the country has the resources to deal with such a crisis. At the same time, many people fear a confrontation would inflict irreparable damage to the country. In the end, if President Saakashvili proposes tangible institutional and systematic changes, and the parliamentary opposition can be involved and accommodated in the constitutional committee work, and if moderate extra-parliamentary opposition forces pro-actively engage in the dialogue with the ruling party and radical extra-parliamentary opposition continue with the street protests to bring more pressure on President Saakashvili all the while increasing their bargaining power -- the political crisis might be resolved. However, it is key that Georgia's economy is not very much hindered i.e. blocking of major throughways in the country as a way of protest is not very adequate. What Georgia needs at this crucial stage is stability coupled with the democratic institutional reforms issued in at a prompt pace.
The government is currently concentrating its strategy on avoiding conflict with the opposition. Mr. Bakradze, Parliamentary Chairperson, declared that he was ready to meet with opposition any time to launch "discussion of details" of President Saakashvili's proposals, which cover issues related to composition of a constitutional reform commission. Tbilisi Mayor, Gigi Ugulava, underlined the authorities would not hold a military parade on the Rustaveli Avenue to mark the Independence Day on May 26 if "there are no conditions for that [i.e. if the opposition rallies continue].
In the meantime, the opposition leaders put forth an action plan of protests for next two weeks, that does not include blocking of key east-west highway, which the opposition initially planned. The plan, agreed by the opposition parties behind the ongoing protests, includes picketing of public TV headquarters for four hours on May 14 and May 15. But at the same time the opposition will also unblock traffic on one of key thoroughfares outside the public TV from May 14, exactly one month after it was blocked with improvised cells. The plan also includes rallying on other key thoroughfare for few hours in various districts of Tbilisi.
On May 18 a rally will be held outside the Rustavi 2 TV office and later on the same day protesters will gather outside the building of Interior Ministry's special operations department not far from the Rustavi 2 TV. Rally will be held outside the presidential residence on May 19, where the opposition remains camped since April 14. Nino Burjanadze, leader of Democratic Movement-United Georgia, said that the plan was not conclusive and other events were in the process of planning. Importantly, the opposition parties, those behind the ongoing protest rallies, are "split on tactics" about how to proceed further on talks with the authorities and protests, the Georgian daily, Rezonansi, reported on May 13. "Differences are about a dialogue offered by President Saakashvili, which is supported by part of the opposition parties, standing [at the rally] outside the Parliament; they are also in favor of 'grabbing as many concessions from Saakashvili as possible'."
It remains to be seen if the differences in opinion will result in the opposition split.
