For Georgia’s MP Giorgi Sharashidze: Why should I comment on a corrupt oppositionist? Gvaramia repeats Georgian Dream’s talking points

“Gvaramia’s statement is no different from the position of Georgian Dream; he is repeating word-for-word what Georgian Dream leaders are saying, and that is a diagnosis in itself,” declared MP Giorgi Sharashidze, a member of the Gakharia For Georgia party.

According to Sharashidze, when an opposition politician echoes the Georgian Dream leaders’ narratives, he should explain why.

“Why should I comment on the statements of a corrupt opposition figure who could not even manage to explain to the public where he obtained tens of millions in funding for his election campaign? When a so-called opposition politician speaks with the same narrative as Georgian Dream leaders, he must explain why. We are not part of this opposition; consequently, we are not interested in who makes what statement. In this instance, what matters most to us is that Gvaramia is speaking in the Georgian Dream language and narrative. This is a diagnosis for Gvaramia and for this political force, which we consider a corrupt opposition. Corruption is unacceptable, whether in Georgian Dream, in government, or in the opposition. We can speak for our own political force, which is doing everything to ensure that no sanctions impact our country.

We are working on this not only in Georgia but also in Europe alongside our European partners, maintaining that sanctions must not target the country and its people. In this instance, the core issue concerns the potential suspension of the visa-free regime, which we are actively working to prevent. Despite numerous transgressions by Georgian Dream, such a sanction must not punish the Georgian people. Citizens achieved visa liberalisation through years of hard work and struggle; this achievement must be protected both from Georgian Dream and from this irresponsible and corrupt opposition.

As for Gvaramia, whether or not he wants sanctions imposed, I do not rule out that he does; that is for him to decide. Let the public judge. We have no interest in, nor is it a priority for us to decipher, Gvaramia’s statements and figure out what lies behind them. I cannot tell you anything more scandalous than this: if you want scandal, I will tell you directly that this is a corrupt opposition which largely pretends to the public that it is fighting Georgian Dream with special vigour, while in reality collaborating with Georgian Dream,” Sharashidze stated.

For context, Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the Ahali party, had stated: “What the European Union has done now, deferring their sanctions until January, was a monumental mistake; were I in the EU Ambassador’s shoes, I would not be dancing in Dmanisi; I would be taking care of this issue.”