OREANDA-NEWS. The internal political crisis caused by the alleged falsification of the results of the parliamentary elections is escalating in Georgia. Prime Minister George Gakharia on Thursday, February 18, announced his resignation after two months in office. Gakharia explained his move by the explosive situation in the country against the background of the court's decision to detain the leader of the opposition «United National Movement» (UNM) party, Nikanor Melia.

Earlier, more than 200 supporters of Melia gathered near the UNM headquarters in Tbilisi to prevent the detention of the party leader. They applauded the decision to suspend the police operation to detain Meliy in connection with the resignation of Gakhariya. Nikanor Melia stated the need to hold new parliamentary elections in Georgia.

«We are ready to sit down at the negotiating table with the authorities in the presence of our international partners and discuss the issue of calling new parliamentary elections», Melia said at a briefing in Tbilisi on February 18.

«Georgian Dream» party announced the holding of a meeting of the party's Political Council on February 19, at which a candidate for the post of Prime Minister of Georgia will be nominated to replace the resigned Giorgi Gakharia. According to independent Georgian experts, the favorites are the chairman of the «Georgian Dream» Irakli Kobakhidze, the General Secretary of the party and the Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze, as well as the Minister of Health Ekaterina Tikaradze.