Parliament official claims “collective UNM opposition” has plan involving “forcible overthrow” of Gov’t

Gia Volski, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the First Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday claimed the “collective United National Movement opposition” had a “developed plan” involving a “forcible overthrow” of the Government.

In his remarks, Volski further alleged that President Salome Zourabichvili and the domestic opposition had “apparently come to a common understanding” that they needed to “introduce some kind of political agenda” against the Government, as “simply holding protest rallies is not enough for their goals”, in reference to ongoing protest rallies.

“A large part of the public supported the Georgian Dream Government for the implementation of specific goals. No matter what format and platform they create, surprisingly, the main thing is what suits a large part of the public”, Volski claimed.

Therefore, I think this is a political stunt, a certain step to show people the process - and there is no content in it, except for the destruction that Salome Zourabichvili and all those radical political subjects under the name of the collective United National Movement are pursuing”, the Parliament official claimed.

Zourabichvili also said she was ready to meet Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Honorary Chair of the ruling party, in order to come up with a date for the elections.

Volski responded by saying Zourabichvili did “not have the constitutional right to call elections unless the Parliament has expressed no confidence in the Government”.

He added if the President took the step to call the elections, “she will move from her rhetoric to specific action, which would be an attempt to overthrow the Government”.