Lelo’s Japaridze: Street protests are peaceful resistance, political process is different; we consider no mergers

“The primary function of a party is to participate in elections and change the government. A party’s main activity cannot be street protests, because that is, broadly speaking, society’s activity,” said Badri Japaridze, one of the leaders of Strong Georgia-Lelo, in a broadcast on one of the media outlets.

According to Japaridze, they are carrying out what is expected of a political party.

“A party means something else. This is precisely the work we are engaged in, which is exactly why we participated in the municipal elections. We are carrying out what is expected of a political party.

Regarding peaceful protest, of course, it is an expression of society’s dissent, and such peaceful demonstrations must continue as a means of resisting the injustice unfolding. Opposition and resistance must be multifaceted, employing every possible instrument and encompassing all avenues of resistance.

This is what we are engaged in, for example, through constant exposure of corrupt deals in municipal councils. A peaceful protest is taking place in the streets, but this is not a political process. A political process is something completely different. A political process may occur during the pre-election period, or it may be initiated within Parliament, which we have not entered. A political process could be launched in a municipal council or in parliament.

This is a peaceful protest; it’s about society not accepting brutal measures from the government, but this is not a political process. Street protests can have political demands, but a political process is something completely different. A political process doesn’t take place in the streets; it can develop in institutions. Protest on the streets is one aspect of society’s resistance and cannot be the sole method by which regime change is realised, but it remains of crucial importance.

Therefore, I would urge our colleagues to seize every possible opportunity, such as participating in municipal elections, and not to cease supporting street protests; however, it would be a fundamental mistake to regard street protests as the primary political tool. This is resistance, which is essential, but a political process is something else.

Presenting politicians solely and exclusively as participants in street protests is, at the very least, a failure to understand what a politician’s role should entail. I wish my colleagues success, and I will gladly wait to see how effectively they manage to mobilise their voters,” stated Badri Japaridze.

Moreover, according to Badri Japaridze, at this stage, Lelo is not considering merging with anyone.

“If someone wants to unite their efforts, I welcome everyone, but at this moment, we are not considering any merger with anyone. I don’t believe in pseudo-mergers. All of us who call ourselves pro-European forces have one task: to save the country from dictatorship and return it to the path of European Union integration. This is the common goal, and the rest, some ungraspable mergers, remain incomprehensible to us. There is no need whatsoever for organisational mergers of parties to fight dictatorship in the country,” Badri Japaridze stated.