Georgia's Ruling Party Rejects Opposition Demands

The secretary of the United National Movement, Davit Kirkitadze, described those conditions as "absurd for the most part." Kirkitadze also urged the opposition to engage in a "constructive dialogue" with the pro-government majority in parliament.

Opposition parliamentary groups on April 7 released a memorandum demanding that democratic changes be brought to Georgia's election law; that mayors and district administration heads be elected through direct suffrage; that Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili resign; and that the Interior Ministry be reformed.

The opposition on March 31 said it would boycott sessions of parliament in protest at what it said were the undemocratic policies of President Mikheil Saakashvili's government and its allies in the legislature. 

(Imedi TV, Novosti-Gruziya)