Parliament Vice Speaker questions opposition’s efforts to regroup ahead of elections

Gia Volski, the First Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday said an ongoing “regrouping” among the domestic opposition ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26 was aiming to “create the impression that there are many subjects” among the group.

Volski’s comments followed after Teona Akubardia, an independent MP, on Thursday joined the opposition Gakharia for Georgia party led by the former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

“Gakharia has been joined by a person who [earlier] had demanded [the former PM’s] trial - funny things are happening and to be honest, it is a bit embarrassing”, Volski said.

This circus is for people to ask a lot of questions and give the impression to less certain people in the situation that there are many [distinct] subjects [among the opposition]”, he added.

Gakharia on Thursday highlighted Akubardia’s “professionalism” by saying she had “worked in the security field for a long time and is a very reputable, experienced professional”.

In her turn, Akubardia said she had joined the group because “without this party, [ruling Georgian Dream party founder] Bidzina Ivanishvili's defeat and Georgia's victory are impossible”.