Parliament official: struggle for United National Movement chairmanship has “crossed all ethical and moral limits”
In his remarks over the controversial recording, Samkharadze claimed it showed UNM members were “not shying away” from “seeking compromising materials” and using them against each other. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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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.
Samkharadze was commenting on a social media release of a recording in which the party’s incumbent Chair Nika Melia was apparently heard recalling his phone conversation with Mikheil Saakashvili, the currently imprisoned former President of Georgia, ahead of the 2021 municipal elections in the country, and insulting him for his views.
In his remarks over the controversial recording, Samkharadze claimed it showed UNM members were “not shying away” from “seeking compromising materials” and using them against each other.
“We see that the struggle for the chairmanship of the party has crossed all ethical and moral limits, but that is their business and an internal conflict. These processes will further weaken this party”, he pointed out.
The purpose of this confrontation is to win the Chairman's seat [and thus gain] funding by [former UNM Defence Minister and now private TV channel owner David] Kezerashvili and the ambition of being involved in political processes of this country in the future - whether in a positive or negative fashion”, the Parliament official concluded.
Bacho Dolidze, a member of the United National Movement, on Tuesday said Vano Merabishvili, the former Interior Minister from the party during its time in Government, could be behind the release of the illegal audio recording.
Levan Khabeishvili, a fellow member of the UNM and a major competitor of Melia in the election for the position of party Chair, has accused the current Government of having released the recording, while Saakashvili and other UNM members have condemned the release as a “dirty method".
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.
Several members of the United National Movement - the largest opposition group in Georgia - on Wednesday voiced their desire for changes in party leadership, including replacement of the party’s current head Nika Melia.
Nika Melia, the head of the United National Movement opposition party on Wednesday said he was ready to re-run for the post “anytime” and slammed several of his party members for a “hasty” briefing earlier during the day that called for a leadership challenge.
Levan Khabeishvili, a member of the United National Movement opposition party, on Wednesday confirmed he would run for the chairmanship of the largest opposition group in Georgia after having initially dismissed reports on the intent.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said a recording released on Wednesday by Rustavi 2 channel and allegedly featuring Giuli Alasania, the mother of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, was a “continuation of the intra-party feud” at the United National Movement opposition party.
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.
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.
Elections for the chairmanship of the opposition United National Movement party are underway for the second day by electronic voting.