Ruling party MP slams US Embassy social media messages as “misinformative”

Davit Matikashvili, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday criticised social media messages released by the United States Embassy in Georgia this week about relations between the two countries, GD’s election promises and actions, labelling them as a “troubling example of misinformation”.

The lawmaker’s comments came as a response to short messages posted by the Embassy that said “democracies do not prohibit opposition”, “countries cannot develop in isolation”, “the isolation of Georgia from the West is against the interests of its people” and more. 

While dismissing claims of “prohibiting the opposition”, Matikashvili reaffirmed the party’s intention to pursue legal action against the United National Movement opposition party for alleged crimes committed during its time in office from 2004 to 2012, including during the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, while stressing “no one is fighting against the opposition”.

This is another unfortunate instance of misinformation. Who is fighting the opposition? No one. The goal is to prosecute all criminals who have committed offences against the country according to the law and the Constitution. If this results in the party being deemed unconstitutional, similar to what happens in Europe, so be it”, Matikashvili noted. 

He also claimed prosecution of UNM would create a “far healthier” domestic political landscape in case GD secured a Constitutional majority of at least 113 seats in the 150-member Parliament in the elections later this month to proceed with the plan for the legal case.