Opposition parties in Georgia have released a joint statement, addressing to the US, UK, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, the European Union, the World Bank, the IMF, the European Development Bank, the EBRD, the European Investment Bank, the Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, JICA.

A statement issued by the parties says that the Georgian government is in urgent need of international financial support.

“Georgia and the whole world are facing significant challenges due to coronavirus. Many people's lives are in real danger. In order to overcome this challenge, steps were taken, which are hitting the country’s economy. This situation may get worse. The scale of the possible damage is still difficult to calculate, although it is clear that the damage will be large. The economic crisis will also endanger the country's fragile democracy, which must withstand a major test in the upcoming parliamentary elections this year.

We have fundamental differences with the government and despite the crisis, we expect the government to fulfil its commitments, implement constitutional and electoral reform, and release political prisoners. Nevertheless, the current situation in the country will be seen as an opportunity of boosting the democracy, multi-party cooperation and of expressing a joint position of government and opposition in the wake of the overall national crisis. Specifically, among the political forces, there is a full consensus that Georgia’s economy needs a significant financial injection from our strategic friends and international organizations in order to maintain economic equilibrium during the pandemic and save the economy after the pandemic ends.

The Government of Georgia is in urgent need of international financial support, and no matter how critical we are towards them, we fully support them in these efforts. It is in our common and vital interest for our country to receive international assistance that will enable the country's authorities, both the current and the future, which will be formed after the elections in accordance with the political will of the Georgian people, to overcome the serious economic and social crisis, ”reads the statement, signed by:

"Girchi", "European Georgia", "United National Movement", "New Georgia", "Republican Party", "Civil Movement", "Free Georgia", "European-Democrats", “Party for Justice”, “Movement for New Georgia ”,“ For Victorious Georgia ”,“ Law and Justice ”, “Free Democrats”, “Society of Georgian Parliamentarians”, “Democratic Movement - United Georgia”, "Serve Georgia", "Civil Alliance for Freedom", "Georgia among Leaders", "National Democratic Party", "Movement State for People", "Christian-Conservative Party", "Lelo for Georgia", Nato Chkheidze, MP of Georgia.