PM claims domestic opposition leaders “represent collective UNM” party

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday claimed some leaders of the domestic opposition represented a “collective United National Movement” party.

In his remarks on some of the leaders of UNM and other parties, Kobakhidze said the “political future” of Nika Melia, the former UNM Chair, would be “just like his political past - dark and hard”.

“Such was the political past of [Nika] Gvaramia [a former official under the UNM Government], Melia and [Mamuka] Khazaradze [the leader of Lelo opposition party]”, he said. 

As for Melia, I remember [his involvement in] the bankruptcy of Cartu Bank. As for Gvaramia, I remember the [security services’] raid on Imedi TV [in 2007, during his tenure as First Deputy Prosecutor General], restriction of media freedom, violation of human rights. This is the darkness that we cannot let return and the Georgian public will not allow it”, the Government head also said. 

The PM further claimed Gvaramia, Melia and Khazaradze represented “one group” in the alleged “collective” UNM entity.