“Regrettably, Salome Zourabichvili has chosen to make such a statement just days before October 4, especially considering she has never previously expressed anything of this sort publicly or privately,” stated Irakli Kupradze, the joint candidate for Tbilisi mayoralty representing the Lelo-Strong Georgia coalition and the Gakharia for Georgia party, during an interview on PalitraNews.

The presenter questioned Kupradze about the recent remarks made by the former President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, in which she advised political parties not to participate in the upcoming local elections, alleging that those running are doing so under government pressure. Additionally, the host inquired about Zourabichvili’s assertion that “two party leaders were released from prison to participate in the elections.”

Kupradze responded that his team is choosing not to retaliate against these unfounded accusations, as they prefer not to become opposition to the opposition.

“Our aim is not to respond to baseless allegations. We will address everything starting from October 5, when many issues will become clear. These include the potential for change, a peaceful revolution, the election process itself, and the opportunities we are giving to challenge Ivanishvili’s influence. Our consistent position has been to refrain from responding to accusations, as we will likely need to engage with one another again tomorrow or the day after. It does not matter who voices these unfounded claims; what matters is our position and how we respond.

Over this period, we have seen many attempts at confrontation, but these have largely been one-sided. We have not responded to any allegations made by the opposition, whether they originate from Salome Zourabichvili or other political leaders with whom we have long histories of struggle. The only individuals we respond to firmly are those we accuse of corruption, violence, and pursuing Russian interests, namely Bidzina Ivanishvili and his team.

We refuse to become opposition to opposition, and regardless of who our opponent may be, be it Ivanishvili, we reserve the right to oppose him,” Kupradze stated.

When asked by the host why the Strong Georgia coalition did not believe Zourabichvili’s assurances about not participating in the elections, given her confidence in her team and her willingness to be nominated as a joint mayoral candidate, Kupradze explained that “Salome Zourabichvili herself was prepared for this,” though he did not elaborate further.