First Vice-Speaker on opposition alliance: UNM never disbanded, always threat to Georgia

“The ideas of parliament boycott and the October 4 peaceful overthrow united one part of the opposition parties. This only strengthened the ‘Dream,’ and these parties, directly or indirectly, intentionally or by mistake, did the work of the ‘Dream,'” said Giorgi Sharashidze, MP of the Gakharia for Georgia party.According to Sharashidze, the party will continue to fight against the ‘Dream’ regime independently.“Leaving aside the National Movement and radical past, we have nothing to do with these parties. We have our independent path and independent strategy, which aim to weaken the ‘Dream’s’ authoritarian rule. Irresponsible moves such as the October 4 developments that began with the boycott campaign and were followed by the October 4 peaceful coup provocation were plotted by the ‘Dream.’ These parties demonstrated neither rationality nor the ability to avoid participation in this provocation. Accordingly, we will have no connection with them. We continue to fight against the ‘Dream’ regime independently,” he said.On March 2, nine opposition parties held a meeting after which the leader of the Ahali party, Nika Gvaramia, announced that an opposition alliance had been formed, saying, “We are creating unity to win together.”The signatories of the joint statement released following the meeting are Ahali, Girchi, Droa, European Georgia, United National Movement, National-Democratic Party, Freedom Square, Strategy Aghmashenebli and Federalists.

“Last night, a group of official representatives and leaders of Georgia’s Muslim community visited my residence to express their sympathy and condolences over the martyrdom of the Supreme Spiritual Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, as well as the deaths of a number of innocent people, including 158 girls from an elementary school in Minab. During the meeting, it was noted that Iran’s martyred spiritual leader, throughout the difficult years of sanctions and external pressure, led the nation like a responsible and devoted father of a large family. At a time when sanctions were placing immense pressure on people’s daily lives, he protected the country from instability. His character, leadership style, and conduct over more than three decades nurtured a generation that today possesses the necessary readiness and capability to defend its independence, security, and territorial integrity. Beyond his political position, he held a distinguished status among hundreds of millions of Shiites worldwide and played a broad social and religious role. Naturally, part of the global Shiite community is mourning the loss of such a figure. However, the events of Ashura and the message of Saint Zaynab demonstrate that patience, education, and speaking the truth are effective means in the struggle against oppression and injustice. It is also essential today to present information about these events to global public opinion in a rational and morally sound language — one that transcends religious and sectarian boundaries and appeals to the awakened and free conscience of the world. At the meeting, several important points were emphasized: any form of attack on civilians, especially children, is condemnable and morally unacceptable. Maintaining regional stability and peace is a shared responsibility, and preventing further tension requires prudence, restraint, and dialogue. The historical and cultural ties among peoples represent an important opportunity for overcoming crises and strengthening peaceful coexistence. These sincere condolences were an expression of human solidarity and religious responsibility. All of this reminds us that only through patience, dialogue, and mutual respect can a safer world be built for children and for all peoples. In Western countries, certain political approaches toward Muslim communities have long been subjects of discussion and criticism. At the same time, experiences vary from country to country, and presenting a uniform picture is impossible. What is particularly important is the extent to which states practically uphold the principles of freedom of religion, human dignity, and equality of citizens. Today, we gathered in Georgia, where the authorities have officially recognized the rights of the Muslim community and have provided a legal framework and official space for their religious and social activities, as with other religions. This approach, based on mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, represents a valuable example in the region. In recent years, Georgia’s religious and political leaders, during meetings and discussions with Iranian leaders, have emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue and the positive role of bilateral relations. In this context, it is worth noting the warm meeting and conversation held in Tehran between His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and Iran’s spiritual leader, which served as an expression of mutual respect and religious dialogue. The historical experience of the Caucasus demonstrates that Muslims and Christians have lived side by side for centuries. This fact confirms that political conflicts must not be reduced to religious or sectarian confrontation. Geopolitical tensions, however complex, are political in nature, and their solutions must be sought within the framework of politics, dialogue, and international law. Even in the current situation, it is essential that narratives be transparent, well-founded, and responsibly conveyed. The fact that the United States attempts to find new justifications for each military action underscores, above all, the necessity of returning to diplomacy and preventing further escalation. Today, the region and the world need responsible dialogue and the avoidance of exhausting wars more than ever,” wrote Seyed Ali Mojani, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Georgia, on Facebook.

As an exception, the Georgian Ministry of Education, Science and Youth Affairs will allow one-time registration of children turning six by December 31 in first grade for the 2026-2027 school year.Education Minister Givi Mikanadze said the ministry decided in the best interest of parents through consultation with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.“Hearing and taking into account the viewpoints of society and citizens is fundamentally important for us. The national reform concept was presented in December 2025; therefore, we wanted to make the transition period as smooth as possible for the school community. Most parents have already negotiated with specific schools and are preparing their children for first grade. Therefore, we prioritized the best interests of parents,” he said.Givi Mikanadze further stated that the Ministry will continue to cooperate with the school community, experts and parents.“We have launched general education system reform, within the framework of which, with the aim to improve the quality of school education and school environment, we work in different directions. One of the initiatives concerns the age. Based on the reform, registering in the first grade is allowed for children who have turned 6 by September 15. Our initiative is based on international practice, which takes into account a child’s social-emotional readiness for inclusion in the school process and the development of minimal competencies and necessary skills,” he said.The Minister explained that the issue had been actively discussed in the regions with school community representatives, parents, through social networks, considering applications and remarks.“I would like to emphasize and reconform that for us it is significant to improve the education quality and for the process to fit social needs. We have repeatedly said that it is always interesting to hear different viewpoints, including criticism, if they are substantiated by arguments. We have set the main goal of the reform to create a learning environment in schools that is focused on students and their development. We continue to cooperate with the school community, experts, parents and other target groups for all decisions to be in the best interests of our society and be based on professional analysis,” stated Givi Mikanadze.

“We are creating unity to win together,” said Nika Gvaramia, leader of the Akhali party, following a meeting of opposition groups.According to Gvaramia, the opposition parties have agreed on a common direction and coordinated actions while maintaining their individual political identities.“We agree on a common direction and common actions. We are not renouncing our political identities, nor are we forming a joint list. We are not discussing this at the moment and do not know whether it will be discussed in the future. What we are creating now is a unified platform for joint action,” Gvaramia stated.The opposition parties participating in the meeting also released a joint statement announcing the formation of the Alliance of Democratic Opposition Parties of Georgia.“We have agreed on a shared strategy and common rules of action, and declare that through joint efforts we aim to liberate Georgia from the autocratic regime of Bidzina Ivanishvili, restore the country’s Euro-Atlantic course, and ensure democratic governance, national security, and the well-being of the Georgian people.The agreement is based on the following principles:Unity without uniformity: The founding parties retain their ideological identities but commit to unified protest actions and a coordinated communication strategy. The alliance aims to demonstrate to both the Georgian public and international partners that it represents a democratic alternative to Ivanishvili’s oligarchic and autocratic regime.Democratic alternative: The parties state that the regime can only be defeated by a democratic alternative focused on citizens’ interests. We emphasize that decision-making within the alliance will be based on equality among participants and independence from external influence.Political and public consensus: The alliance seeks to achieve broad political and public consensus through wide civic engagement, with the goal of defeating the Ivanishvili government in free and fair elections and forming a democratic coalition government to implement necessary reforms,” the statement reads.The signatory parties have also agreed on a code of conduct regulating relations among member parties and establishing accountability mechanisms for violations.The statement concludes that the opposition alliance “will fight to the end – until the release of political prisoners and victory in free and fair elections.”The alliance includes the following parties: “Akhali,” “Girchi,” “Droa,” “European Georgia,” “National Movement,” “National Democratic Party,” “Freedom Square,” “Strategy Agmashenebeli,” and “Federalists.”

Due to the current situation in the Middle East, the Georgian government has decided to operate special flights for citizens whose return to Georgia cannot be ensured in a timely manner by the respective airlines, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia announced.According to the statement, amid travel disruptions caused by the closure of airspace in several countries, the following special flights will be arranged by government decision:Muscat (Sultanate of Oman) – Tbilisi (Georgia)03.03.2026 | 19:00 (local time)05.03.2026 | 19:00 (local time)Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) – Tbilisi (Georgia)04.03.2026 | 19:00 (local time)Georgian citizens wishing to return home are advised to contact the relevant diplomatic missions:Embassy of Georgia in the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) Hotline (24/7): +971 54 2324 335 Telephone: +971 2 553 36 83 E-mail: abudhabi.con@mfa.gov.geEmbassy of Georgia in the State of Qatar (Doha) Hotline (24/7): +974 52 098 071 Phone: +974 44 739 499 E-mail: doha.emb@mfa.gov.geThe Foreign Ministry also expressed special gratitude to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar for the support and assistance provided to Georgian citizens.