Georgian President Urges Government, Opposition To Refrain From Escalation Amid Protests

TBILISI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th November, 2019) Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday called on the government and opposition to find common ground and refrain from further escalation amid anti-government protests.

Earlier this week, the Georgian parliament failed to pass legislation to switch the parliamentary election system from mixed to proportional representation. Representatives of various non-governmental organizations, the opposition and ordinary citizens of Georgia took to the streets, blocking central Rustaveli Avenue.

"I call on the leadership and the opposition to use every opportunity to find a common language, to make the electoral system more refined, and to create maximum conditions for fair elections.

I am sure that there is a resource to get out of this tense situation," the president said, as quoted by her office.

According to the president, stability is the most important thing for Georgia, as the country's society is tired of scandals and crises.

�Bidzina Ivanishvili, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, promised to hold legislative elections next year under the proportional voting system, which grants parties seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them. The opposition argues that the current mixed system favors the governing party.