Ruling party official claims domestic “radical” opposition “fighting against Georgian statehood” following election results

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday claimed the domestic “radical” opposition was “fighting against Georgian statehood”, after opposition parties submitted  an appeal to European Union foreign ministers to halt the country’s European integration and suspend financial aid to it following last month’s parliamentary elections.

We have repeatedly said that this is a radical group that is fighting against Georgian statehood - these are people who were running around Brussels when Georgia was signing the Association Agreement [with the EU]. They tried to stop this process. They also ran around the offices [in Brussels] to stop the visa liberalisation process. We also remember the statements made regarding the [EU membership] candidate status, direct calls that said Georgia did not deserve the status”, the ruling party official said.

He further called the “radical” groups “traitors”, claiming their actions were “packed with hatred [and] anti-state actions”.

It is not strange for anyone to see what kind of opposition force we are dealing with, since betrayal of the country and its own citizens is their declared policy. Of course, as before, we will not allow their plans to be implemented. Today, the Government, which enjoys the full support of the majority of the public, is strong and capable of protecting the country from unrest”, Kaladze concluded.

Earlier today, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze denounced the appeal by the domestic opposition to the EU  as a “treacherous move against the nation’s interests”.