Leader of European Georgia opposition Elene Khoshtaria leaves party
Elene Khoshtaria says that she will continue the fight with the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili. Photo: Elene Khoshtaria’s Facebook page.
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One of the main faces of the European Georgia opposition party, Elene Khoshtaria, has left the party and announced the creation of a new political force.
She told journalists earlier today that she is neither joining any other opposition party nor does she have plans to take up her mandate in the state legislature.
Members of the European Georgia party have stated that Khoshtaria’s decision was not a surprise.
We knew that after the elections Elene had plans to leave the party and launch a new party,” member of European Georgia David Bakradze said.
Fellow member of the party Giga Bokeria has stated that ‘I wish Elene had not left the party because of my personal attitude to her and political point of view.’
The European Georgia opposition party was founded back in 2017 by former, top figures of the United National Movement party and several new faces.
Khoshtaria ran for Vake constituency of Tbilisi on behalf of the united opposition in the October 31 parliamentary elections.
Khoshtaria took high posts under the United National Movement government and became MP from the party back in 2016.
However, in 2017 she joined the European Georgia party and was nominated for Tbilisi mayor by the party the same year.
European Georgia received five seats in parliament per the results of October 31 parliamentary elections.
However, similar to other opposition parties which were voted in on the elections, the party says that the elections were fabricated and is demanding repeat elections.
The parliament of Georgia has confirmed Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and his cabinet of ministers with 85 votes in favour and none against. 10 out of 11 members of the cabinet remain unchanged; only former deputy Justice Minister Gocha Lortkipanidze will temporarily take over as justice minister before he officially takes up the position of judge at the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Georgian parliament has passed a bill in its first reading earlier today which strips parties of state funding if they refuse to take up their mandates in parliament.
The 10th convocation of the parliament of Georgia is holding its first session today following the October 31 parliamentary elections and the second round of elections on November 21. No opposition MPs from the eight parties and election blocs that were voted into parliament are attending the session. Five of eight opposition parties and blocs have signed a memorandum earlier today in which they do not recognise the election results, and demand the conduct of repeat elections and refuse to take up their mandates.
The Central Election Commission convened a session earlier today to summarise the final results of Georgia’s parliamentary elections. Having summed up the election results at today’s session, the CEC will now send the document to the parliament of Georgia, which will hold the first session of the tenth convocation within ten days.
Member of the Georgian Parliament and a former leader of the European Georgia opposition party Elene Khoshtaria has created a new political force Droa (eng. It's Time) which aims to expose corrupt officials, abusers, thieves-in-law and those involved in nepotism and who have ties to Russia.
Georgia’s former ambassadors to the US Batu Kutelia and David Sikharulidze, as well as former MP Nino Goguadze have joined a political party Droa founded by former leader of the European Georgia political party Elene Khoshtaria.
Elene Khoshtaria, the leader of the Droa opposition party, on Thursday confirmed transfers of funds from Russia to the account of her family member after reports in Georgian media, and said the money involved royalties for her father from a Russian theatre.