Lelo-Strong Georgia: GD can ban parties but not ban Georgian people; We will continue to fight for European future

“The attempt of the Georgian Dream to ban Lelo-Strong Georgia and all leading political parties demonstrates that the government acknowledges losing support of the majority of the Georgian people. Bidzina Ivanishvili’s political team, defeated by the Georgian people, attempts with this move to not only ban parties, but also the choice of their voters, the will of the Georgian people,” reads the statement of the Lelo-Strong Georgia’s Political Board.

According to the statement, even according to the results secured by the “Georgian Dream”-controlled election administration in the last parliamentary elections, nearly a million Georgian citizens supported the very parties Bidzina Ivanishvili is now attempting to ban.

“Banning of the Lelo-Strong Georgia coalition and other 4 opposition parties will set a precedent that may freely extend onto other parties. Bidzina Ivanishvili seeks to ban all political forces he is unable to control personally.

The repressive legislation and the Constitutional Court’s ruling will also make it easier to ban political activities, not only for parties but for individuals as well. The Venice Commission’s opinion has already confirmed this. A decision to ban parties will create immense obstacles for all active citizens seeking to engage in political activity.

The Georgian Dream can ban a party, but it will not manage to ban Georgian people. Therefore, we will continue to fight for a European future within a judicial and constitutional framework, since banning parties finally deprives Georgia of the chance to continue its path to the EU and irreversibly returns it under Russia’s sphere of political and economic influence. We will not admit that, and we will continue the political and party struggle for the Georgian people’s European future,” reads the statement.