UNM opposition members continue to leave party to join new platform
Bacho Dolidze said details over the new platform would be unveiled in the “near future”. Photo: Bacho Dolidze’s Facebook
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Members of the United National Movement, the largest opposition party in Georgia, continued to leave the group this week amid internal controversies, expressing their commitment to join a new platform initiated by the party’s former Chair Nika Melia.
Bacho Dolidze, a leading figure within UNM, confirmed his departure on Monday, citing the new opposition platform's role “at the forefront of the political process” leading up to next year's parliamentary elections.
He said he had left the party "because it is time for a new movement", emphasising an "absolutely new vision" for the public, grounded in a “comprehensive understanding of the past” Dolidze also clarified there were “no intentions” to form an election bloc with existing political groups for the forthcoming race.
On Sunday, seven out of 14 UNM members in the Kutaisi City Assembly in western Georgia also announced their departure from the party. They criticised the current Chair, Levan Khabeishvili, and wider party management for "sidelining experienced and loyal members", and accused them of adopting a "conformist and pseudo-positional stance".
Like Melia, they also pointed to an alleged informal governance within the party.
Melia, who lost the chairmanship race to Khabeishvili in January, referred to the current Chair as a "puppet" controlled by former UNM officials including David Kezerashvili, the wanted former Defence Minister, and Vano Merabishvili, the former Interior Minister.
In his official departure from the party last week, preceded by the exit of a number of members from the party’s representations across the country over the past several weeks, Melia revealed plans to launch a new political platform.
Nika Melia, the former Chair of the opposition United National Movement party, on Thursday said he was leaving the ranks of the largest opposition party in Georgia amid the ongoing intra-party feud.
Nine members of the United National Movement opposition in the country’s western city of Batumi on Monday announced their exit from the faction, citing “irreconcilable differences” and an alleged lack of prospects for unity under the current management.
Six members of the United National Movement opposition party in Tbilisi City Assembly on Friday called for termination of the position of the Chair of the group before next year’s “crucial” parliamentary elections and proposed establishment of a temporary governing body based on “parity”.
Nika Melia, the incumbent Chair of United National Movement, the largest opposition party in Georgia, on Monday lost the race for the position to Levan Khabeishvili, in an election that followed intra-party controversies over the recent weeks.