Former UNM Chair refuses to join new board, cites “shadow rule”, “harmful influence” of former officials
Melia claimed "no independent board in the UNM, adjusted to people's interest, can be created, in the current situation”. Photo: Nika Melia’s Facebook
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Nika Melia, the former Chair of the United National Movement, the largest party in the domestic Georgian opposition, on Monday refused to become involved in a potential new board of the party and related talks, citing “informal influence” of David Kezerashvili, the wanted former Defence Minister of Georgia, and Vano Merabishvili, the former Interior Minister under the UNM Government, over party affairs.
In his social media post, Melia, who lost the race for the party chairmanship to Levan Khabeishvili in January, following intra-party controversies where he called the winner a “puppet in the hands” of the former officials, once again pointed to "reputational problems" of Merabishvili and Kezerashvili, their "outdated views” that he said were “completely distant” from the public, and claimed “victory will never come” under their “informal presence” in the party.
In his comments, Melia also claimed “no independent board adjusted to people's interest” could be created if the [party] management was “asking for healthy advice” from “party director Kezerashvili”, and added “unity is strength only with right and faithful people”.
I have always been and will be in favour of such unity. But if unity is created for the sake of making money, for the [party parliamentary] list and the [legislative] mandate, I have nothing to do with it", he added.
Rustavi 2 TV channel on Sunday claimed Nika Gvaramia, the recently pardoned founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari TV channel, who was convicted last year for improper commercial deals in 2015 and 2019 during his time at the helm of the former channel, was expected to chair the new UNM board.
Last month, TV Pirveli reported Gigi Ugulava, the former Tbilisi Mayor, had proposed creation of the party’s governing board ahead of the next year’s Parliamentary Elections, with UNM members confirming talks on a some form of a committee inside the party.
In his comments, Khabeishvili said he welcomed such a structure if it was run by the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The intra-party controversies in the UNM began after the arrest of Saakashvili in Tbilisi in October 2021, on his clandestine return from Ukraine after eight years in exile, with Khabeishvili accusing Melia of taking no genuine action for the former official’s release.
Kezerashvili, who was convicted in Georgia in absentia for embezzlement of state funds while in office, was reported to be connected with an international scheme defrauding European citizens.
In its report earlier in April, the British Broadcasting Corporation said the Panama Papers - the 11.5 million documents leaked in 2016 to show financial dealings of wealthy individuals and officials across the world - had shown the former official to be at the centre of the scheme in which operators contacted citizens with offers of investing their savings in profitable businesses before appropriating their funds.
Shortly before the publication of the report, Kezerashvili on April 3 told the Georgian-based Formula TV channel - where he owns shares - that he was funding “pro-Western groups” in the country that requested support from him.
Merabishvili, one of the most influential figures of the UNM Government, left prison in 2020 after serving almost seven years for several crimes, including abuse of power, and like Kezerashvili, has not officially joined any domestic opposition group.
The Georgian Dream authorities have alleged UNM and its leaders to be aiming to “spark tension and unrest” in the country to retake office.
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.
Nika Melia, the incumbent Chair of United National Movement, the largest opposition party in Georgia, on Monday lost the race for the position to Levan Khabeishvili, in an election that followed intra-party controversies over the recent weeks.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said the country’s wanted former Defence Minister David Kezerashvili had “confirmed” he was an “oligarch” and was funding domestic opposition and TV channels with funds “stolen from European pensioners”.
Former Interior and Prime Minister of Georgia, one of the most influential figures of the United National Movement (UNM) government, Vano Merabishvili left prison earlier today after serving almost seven years, stating that he is returning to politics and ‘guarantees’ the end of the current Georgian Dream leadership. Standing at Matrosovi prison Merabishvili told the media that the opposition is united around key demands. However, his close friends are now in different opposition parties.
Tbilisi City Court on Thursday fined Nika Melia, Zviad Kuprava and Bacho Dolidze, members of the United National Movement opposition party, $730 each for an incident with law enforcement officers in September.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Saturday said the opposition United National Movement party was “facing a political end” amid inter-party problems.
Levan Khabeishvili, the Chair of United National Movement, the largest party in the domestic Georgian opposition, on Monday signed a paper during live broadcasting while claiming Nika Melia, the party’s former Chairperson, “no longer represents” the faction, but refrained from using the term “expulsion” in an ongoing controversy over the matter.
Levan Khabeishvili, the Chair of the United National Movement opposition party, on Wednesday announced the expansion of the party's Political Council amid calls for his resignation by both current and former members of the group, citing concerns over an "incorrect policy".
Six members of the United National Movement opposition party in Tbilisi City Assembly on Friday called for termination of the position of the Chair of the group before next year’s “crucial” parliamentary elections and proposed establishment of a temporary governing body based on “parity”.
Nika Melia, the former Chair of the opposition United National Movement party, on Thursday said he was leaving the ranks of the largest opposition party in Georgia amid the ongoing intra-party feud.