Georgian opposition refuses to take up mandates in parliament

MPs of the Lelo and Alliance of Patriots opposition parties have refused to take up their mandates in parliament.

Only one opposition party of eight - Aleko Elisashvili's Citizens has not announced its intention not to take up its parliament spots. Lelo for Georgia held a special briefing earlier today at which the party leaders said that they would take to the streets with other opposition parties to demand repeat elections.

The Alliance of Patriots said that 'the elections were fabricated.' Both parties received four mandates each in the 150-member parliament.

International observers and embassies have stated that the elections were 'mostly competitive and free.' The ruling Georgian Dream party says that the opposition has failed to accept the election results dignifiedly.

Ruling party MP Giorgi Kakhiani has urged the opposition 'to return to the election process as it is the only legal and constitutional way.' He said that the CEC had received only 450 election complaints, and most of them were technical.