Georgian opposition groups are fighting with president and quarreling with each other

In May, opposition rallies demanding the immediate resignation of President Saakashvili and early parliamentary elections resumed in Georgia. Two major opposition groups – “Democratic Movement - United Georgia” headed by a former speaker, Nino Burjanadze, and the Georgian party of a former attorney-general and former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, who received political asylum in France, have initiated a new wave of anti-government protests. Opposition leaders are in open confrontation with each other, which does not help them in attracting the Georgian population to the side of the opposition.

In the framework of this confrontation the husband of Nino Burjanadze, former deputy Interior Minister Badri Bitsadze, recently accused the co-chairman of the Georgian party, former presidential candidate Levan Gachechiladze, of collusion with the authorities. 

An opposition rally recently took place in Rustavi. Activists of the Democratic Movement and the youth organization “Ara” organized a picket next to the house of the local police chief, Valeri Dugashvili, accusing him of frequent human rights violations.

"It was an entirely legitimate action. We have not violated any regulations,"a spokesman for the Democratic Movement, Khatuna Ivanishvili, told VK.

The Georgian Interior Ministry told VK that participants were detained due to "disorderly conduct." The Rustavi court sentenced seven opposition activists to administrative detention for a period of between 7 and 30 days, and fined the others about $250.

Meanwhile, Nino Burjanadze is gradually turning into the most implacable and dangerous enemy of the current president of Georgia.

Nino Burjanadze was considered the closest ally of Saakashvili during the "Rose Revolution" of 2003. However, in anticipation of parliamentary elections in May 2008, she resigned, offended at the refusal of the leaders of the pro-presidential party 'United National Movement' to include members of her team on the party electoral list.