Ruling party official claims domestic opposition “doing everything to hinder” European integration

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday claimed a part of the domestic opposition was “doing everything to hinder” the country’s European integration and disrupt upcoming decisions on whether it would receive the European Union membership candidate status.

In his remarks with the local media, Kaladze alleged the part of the opposition had set a task for itself to avoid getting involved in the work for fulfilling the EU’s conditions for granting the country the status later this year, instead aiming to hinder the process by “deepening the polarisation” of the domestic political scene.

These people are in a sabotage mode, and do not think that this is a sabotage against the Georgian Dream party - this is sabotage against the country, against the European future of this country. We hear their hypocritical statements, they are doing everything to prevent the country from receiving the [membership candidate] status”, Kaladze said. 

The ruling party official stressed implementing the EU recommendations was “very important”, with one of the main components of the conditions being aimed at reducing the polarisation, adding “these people [the domestic opposition] are actually increasing that polarisation”.

They did not participate in anything. They go to Brussels and do everything they can to hinder Georgia's future, European integration in any form, and disrupt decisions regarding the granting of the status”, he concluded.