Opposition UNM claims ruling party stands behind city council member’s death, latter denies
Nugzar Putkaradze, who was one of the 15 UNM members of the newly elected city council, died on November 18. Photo: Shot from UNMrally/Archive
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Opposition United National Movement (UNM) has claimed that the ruling Georgian Dream party stands behind the death of Batumi City Council member Nugzar Putkaradze.
UNM member Giorgi Kirtadze accuses the Interior Ministry official and the father of Adjara government head Davit Rizhvadze of pressure against Putkaradze, leading to his eventual death.
Kirtadze has said at a news briefing that Rizhvadze led negotiations with Putkaradze through two former law enforcers Vazha Tabagidze and Badri Bakuridze who forced Putkaradze leave the UNM.
To prove that Kirtadze provided audio recordings allegedly proving the conversation between the three. He meanwhile said that the pressure against the late member of UNM Putkaradze had started much earlier.
If the institutions were working in the country even slightly well, I am sure Mr. Nugzar would have been standing with us today“, Kirtadze said.
Putkaradze’s sister has meanwhile noted that in recent times her brother felt worried for his children. She thinks the pressure against Nugzar might have been its reason.
Denying the accusations, Head of Adjara government Tornike Rizhvadze is expecting for the apologies. Georgian Dream member Tite Aroshidze has also denied any connection of his party with the recordings released by the UNM.
Following the municipal elections in October 2021, a 35-member Batumi City Council is now comprised of 16 ruling party members and 19 opposition party members including 15 UNM members, 3 For Georgia members and 1 Lelo for Georgia party member.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze, who is holding meetings with MEPs and EU officials in Strasbourg along with other Georgian MPs, says that the country’s foreign partners wish to see a decrease in Georgian political polarization.
Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic has called on Georgian politicians to 'fully respect' the public defender's mandate. Mijatovic said that Georgian MPs criticizing Ombudswoman Nino Lomjaria for her efforts to defend the incarcerated former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili's rights is 'unacceptable.'
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party and its supporters will make a human chain in central Tbilisi tomorrow to celebrate the 18th anniversary of the Rose Revolution, a peaceful coup by third president Mikheil Saakashvili and its UNM party back in 2003.
The official results of the Central Election Commission (CEC) for the 2021 municipal election run-offs in Georgia show that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party mayoral candidates have won in 19 municipalities, while the opposition United National Movement (UNM) contender has won in just one. Incumbent Tbilisi mayor and candidate Kakha Kaladze from the GD took 55.6% of the votes over the UNM’s Nika Melia, with 100% of the votes counted.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has named its majoritarian candidates for by-elections scheduled for April 2 in Georgian cities of Rustavi and Batumi earlier today. GD Head Irakli Kobakhidze introduced Irakli Shatakishvili and Ramaz Jincharadze as Rustavi and Batumi majoritarian candidates, respectively.
By-elections are being held in the Georgian cities of Batumi and Rustavi on April 2, with voters set to elect a majoritarian member of the Parliament in Rustavi outside capital Tbilisi, and a majoritarian member of the City Council in the Black Sea city of Batumi.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia published the preliminary results of the by-elections held on Saturday to elect a majoritarian member of the Parliament in Rustavi outside capital Tbilisi, and a majoritarian member of the City Council in the Black Sea city of Batumi.
The preliminary results show that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party candidates have won the by-elections both in Rustavi and Batumi.