Ruling party head: "does not matter" whether opposition UNM is in Parliament
In comments on the announced rallies, Kobakhidze also stressed authorities would not allow them to “disturb peace in the country”. Photo: Georgian Dream Press office
Tweet 
Share
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said it "did not matter" whether the opposition United National Movement party would take part in Parliamentary work, following UNM Chair Levan Khabeishvili's announcement on Monday of the party's boycott of the legislative body.
Khabeishvili announced the boycott and “permanent rallies” in response to Tbilisi City Court’s ruling that denied the imprisoned former President and UNM founder Mikheil Saakashvili release or postponement of his prison term on health grounds.
“Ultimately, it is up to them [UNM]. They cannot make any contribution to [...] the country either by being in the [Parliament] hall nor outside it [anyway]", Kobakhidze said.
[I]t does not matter to us where the United National Movement will be - whether it is outside the Parliament, in boycott, in the Parliament or elsewhere. We have our agenda and we will continue to act according to that agenda”, the GD official added.
In comments on the announced rallies, Kobakhidze also stressed authorities would not allow them to “disturb peace in the country”.
He also pointed out "inconsistent" messaging by UNM on the boycott, noting the Monday announcement had been followed by the party "backing down" on the intention on Tuesday, and alleging the development was an outcome of "internal division" in UNM.
He also added the ruling team was instead “interested in issues related to the country's development, economy, prices".
Announcement of United National Movement, the largest opposition party in the country, to boycott Parliamentary work in response to Tbilisi City Court ruling on the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili is a part of the party’s “continuous efforts” to “hamper” Georgia’s European integration process, Anri Okhanashvili, the Chair of the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Tuesday.
Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chair of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, on Tuesday said the legislative body would focus on facilitating implementation of the European Union conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status in its spring sessions.
Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili has lost his appeal for release or postponement of the rest of his sentence on health grounds, with Tbilisi City Court on Monday denying the application in the case that has been surrounded by public debate.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday responded to the newly published European Commission report on the country’s alignment with the European Union by stressing the document had “once again demonstrated” his country deserved the membership candidate status as a “top reformer”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday urged domestic opposition parties to “distance themselves from large, radical groups” on the domestic scene to facilitate the formation of a “healthier political environment” in the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said reproaching the Georgian authorities for decisions that mimicked steps taken by “all international subjects” in protection of their interests was “unfair”, in comments on the Government’s refusal to impose economic sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgian people see every day how the “radical extremist” party, the United National Movement, has been turning into “some kind of comical organisation”, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Saturday.
Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, on Monday called on the domestic opposition to remain in the Parliament and take a “constructive” approach on the ongoing work for implementing the European Union conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status.