UNM Chair alleges processes in party “inspired, planned and organised” by Merabishvili, Kezerashvili
The head of UNM also added he had ended his relationship with Kezerashvili after becoming convinced that the former Defence Minister “wanted to informally rule” the opposition party. Photo: InterPressNews
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Nika Melia, the Chair of the opposition United National Movement party, on Tuesday said “certain processes” taking place amid ongoing controversies in the party were “inspired, planned and organised from beginning to end” by Vano Merabishvili, the former UNM Government Interior Minister and David Kezerashvili, the former UNM Defence Minister and now private TV channel owner.
Melia characterised the ongoing intra-party standoff between two camps - ahead of an election for the position of its Chair - as a “civilisational struggle” that was taking place as a “confrontation between old and new approaches”.
The head of UNM also added he had ended his relationship with Kezerashvili after becoming convinced that the former Defence Minister “wanted to informally rule” the opposition party.
When I became convinced that he [Kezerashvili] had the desire to bring informal influence into the party, when he showed the ambition to see some people as leaders of the party while others are not - and [the idea that] there should be someone in a leading political position in the party - I ended my relationship with him”, Melia said.
Melia also claimed the recent release of an illegal audio recording allegedly featuring him had been planned by Merabishvili with the aim of making an impact on the race for the UNM Chair position.
Now I have a reasonable suspicion - not even a guess, I know for sure - that this has been planned by Vano Merabishvili. He believed that by releasing these recordings, he could influence the [intra-party] election results”, Melia concluded.
Nugzar Tsiklauri, a member of UNM, on Wednesday accused Merabishvili of an ongoing “shadowy interference” in developments in the party and domestic politics in general.
Giorgi Rurua, the founder and shareholder of Mtavari Arkhi TV, on Tuesday alleged possible ties between Merabishvili and Russian special services, and claimed Merabishvili had blamed former President Mikheil Saakashvili for starting the 2008 war with Russia in private conversations with foreign partners.
Nugzar Tsiklauri, a member of the United National Movement opposition party, on Wednesday accused Vano Merabishvili, the former Interior Minister from the party during its time in Government, of ongoing “shadowy interference” in developments in the UNM and domestic politics in general.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, on Wednesday said the ongoing struggle for the chairmanship of the opposition United National Movement party had “crossed all ethical and moral limits”, and noted the intra-party feud would “further weaken” it.
Bacho Dolidze, a member of the United National Movement - the largest opposition party in Georgia - on Tuesday said the former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili could be behind the recent release of illegal audio recording involving the party’s incumbent Chair Nika Melia.
Giorgi Rurua, the founder and shareholder of Mtavari Arkhi TV, on Tuesday alleged possible ties between Vano Merabishvili, the country’s former Interior Minister in the United National Movement Government, and Russian special services, while claiming Merabishvili had blamed former President Mikheil Saakashvili for starting the 2008 war with Russia in private conversations with foreign partners.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights on Saturday said the confrontation in the opposition United National Movement party became so “critical” that any possibility for the party “to remain united could be excluded”.
The State Audit Office of Georgia on Tuesday said it would investigate a claim by a member of the United National Movement opposition party who said the party’s incumbent Chair Nika Melia had received a car as a gift from David Kezerashvili, the wanted former UNM Defence Minister and current owner of a commercial TV channel.
Elections for the chairmanship of the opposition United National Movement party are underway for the second day by electronic voting.
Georgia’s former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili on Wednesday claimed ensuring the release of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili was one of the goals of the public protests held this week in Tbilisi over the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Parliament Speaker of Georgia, on Monday said the latest claims of David Kezerashvili, the wanted former Defence Minister of Georgia in the United National Movement Government, on his alleged funding of domestic opposition groups contained “signs of political corruption”.
Khatia Dekanoidze, the former Chair of the United National Movement opposition party in the Parliament, on Monday said David Kezerashvili, the wanted former Defence Minister in the UNM Government, had “confirmed” connections with domestic opposition groups and non-governmental organisations with his comments on the weekend.
Nika Melia, the former Chair of the opposition United National Movement party, on Thursday denounced “informal rule” in the party by David Kezerashvili, Vano Merabishvili and Zurab Adeishvili, three former officials in the UNM Government.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said “blurring lines of the political and the criminal” was never a good idea, only delaying justice, political compromise and “ultimately peace”.