Small, “radical” parties waiting for dissolution of United National Movement - opposition party

Levan Ioseliani, an opposition MP from the Citizens party, said on Tuesday that small, “radical” opposition parties were waiting for the dissolution of the largest domestic opposition group, the United National Movement, to “take advantage” of the process and “win UNM voters”, in comments on plans of the Girchi - More Freedom and other opposition parties to start holding rallies against the Government starting next month. 

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Providing further explanations of his view, Ioseliani said by announcing “radical steps” like the street rallies, the part of the domestic opposition was trying to “act like the UNM” in an attempt to “become more attractive for UNM supporters” after the party founded by the currently imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili would allegedly quit politics next month. 

There will be no ‘hot autumn’, as several opposition groups have announced. Nothing will happen. Everything is clear - small opposition groups, which have no chances to make any changes in the country, are trying to take advantage of the UNM’s expected dissolution in the autumn”, Ioseliani said. 

Ioseliani said that while in the boycott regime, the UNM MPs "have never refused to take their salaries, use office cars or other benefits lawmakers have”.  Photo: Parliament of Georgia press office. 

Speaking about the UNM’s possible plans to boycott the state legislature next month “in a bid to change the Government through street rallies”, Ioseliani stressed the party was “always in the boycott regime, while the party MPs have never refused to take their salaries, use office cars or other benefits lawmakers have”. 

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In their comments earlier this month, Saakashvili’s lawyers said the former President had plans to withdraw from politics due to his “poor health”, sparking speculations that the move would lead to the dissolution of the UNM, which is closely affiliated with Saakashvili. 

The former President, who has been in custody since October 2021, has not confirmed the plans of exiting the country’s political scene.