First Vice Speaker Volski: Opposition parties have become revolutionary organisations, “a Shulaveri Committee”, and no longer act like parties

“Banning parties is a grave decision, but it becomes acceptable when a party no longer plays the role assigned to it by law,” said MP Gia Volski, First Deputy Speaker of the Georgian Parliament.

“There is nothing party-like left about them. These parties have turned into revolutionary organisations, acting as nothing less than a new Shulaveri Committee. The country’s existence and stability are under threat. When a group of people threatens the country’s existence, it no longer matters whether they call themselves a political party or anything else. The charges detailed in the lawsuit leave no room for a group engaged in intensive sabotage to be classified as a political party. This has repeatedly led to confrontation, including serious physical clashes. Their efforts have not stopped; they are sabotaging the country. These activities escalated significantly after the invasion of Ukraine, though these operations were already well underway before then. The lawsuit was prepared because destructive activity and extremism had become systematic,” Volski said.

The Constitutional Court is hearing Georgian Dream’s constitutional lawsuit seeking to declare the United National Movement, the Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia – Lelo, the Federalists and Gakharia for Georgia unconstitutional and ban their activities. The hearing began today and will continue for three days.