“It is the prerogative of the so-called ruling party how they decide the issue of suspending mandates. We said at the time that the elections did not reflect the will of the people, and we will strictly follow our agenda,” Gakharia for Georgia party member Tata Khvedeliani stated as the Parliament prepares to debate terminating opposition lawmakers’ mandates.

The opposition politician emphasized that her party rejects revolutionary tactics, accepting change “only and exclusively through peaceful means.”

“It has become clear that no one in our country is protected – not a single citizen, not a single politician,” Khvedeliani said, referencing recent developments since 2024.

“We see legislative changes and acts of violence that the so-called ruling party is implementing. Therefore, suspending mandates is their prerogative – when and how they decide this issue.”

Khvedeliani traced her party’s stance back to the immediate aftermath of the October elections when other opposition parties were celebrating results.

“Our political team, immediately after the elections ended, while other opposition parties were celebrating, saw this reality. We were the first to say that these elections were conducted with severe violations and that these were elections that did not reflect the will of the Georgian people,” she declared.

The Gakharia for Georgia party representative detailed her party’s opposition strategy.

“We refused parliamentary work and have not participated in parliamentary activities to this day. Our so-called parliamentary deputies have not received salaries. We chose the path that envisioned fighting the regime in the forms we have been fighting the regime for the past months,” she said.

However, Khvedeliani drew a line regarding tactics.

“The only important issue here is that we are not revolutionaries. We are a team that embraces change solely through peaceful means. Accordingly, we use the instrument of elections to create discomfort for our so-called government.

We do not agree to boycott for the sake of boycott, but our not being represented in Parliament to this day is also our choice. We believe these elections did not reflect the will of the Georgian people and, accordingly, we are not represented in the legislature,” she said.

The statement comes as Georgia’s Procedural Committee plans to discuss terminating the parliamentary mandates of Gakharia for Georgia members next week.