MP Irakli Kirtskhalia: UNM members should hang the CoE resolution next to Saakashvili’s portrait to remind themselves how they sold out Georgia

“For years, the collective United National Movement, a coalition of the rootless, pursued a flawed agenda operating on behalf of external networks. The Prime Minister’s letter clearly illustrates what this network means, how it operated, and how it continues to function in Georgia,” declared parliamentary majority leader, MP Irakli Kirtskhalia.

He added that as a result of the legal proceedings conducted by Georgian Dream, Georgian soldiers were completely exonerated.

“We all remember their press briefings, the key dates, the treasonous resolution they endorsed, and their blaming of Georgian soldiers for the war. As a result of the legal proceedings conducted by Georgian Dream, our fellows were completely exonerated. Before the blood of our fellows had even dried on the ground, Saakashvili and his henchmen were darting from border to border, channel to channel, explaining to us how crucial Russian-Georgian economic cooperation, visa-free travel, tourism, and Russian investment were. As it turned out, Russian money allegedly ‘didn’t smell’, and therefore Russian capital had to flood into Georgia. It was the previous administration that alienated energy assets to Russian companies.

Today, we are still reaping the fallout from those alienated assets and various other contracts. These individuals are Georgian citizens on paper alone. We witnessed their rhetoric when the war in Ukraine broke out. The moment they received their orders, they suddenly claimed: ‘If a war is raging in Ukraine, how can we remain at peace, and how evil Russia is!’ Naturally, this was part of a script that fell apart for this network in the region. They acted according to that script, but the public delivered a fitting verdict upon them. Against all this, they still dare to lecture society on democracy.

As the anniversary of the August War approaches, the insults we hear from them become even more glaring. Let us not forget their manipulation of dates or the decree Saakashvili signed. Our team will constantly remind them where they were, where they come from, and what dirty political agenda they serve,” Kirtskhalia stated.

He further noted that the guilt of the UNM in the bloodshed orchestrated by this network has been demonstrated repeatedly.

“I am convinced this network was conducting various negotiations with all sides while selling out its homeland. Look at the judgments of the Strasbourg Court; under our administration, we set the record straight and restored honour to our soldiers. Russia occupies 20 per cent of my country and is an occupier. Everyone knows this, from young children to adults. If we engage in dialogue with Russia, it will be under one condition only: de-occupation. Beyond that, we stand ready to talk about any issue. You know this well, as do those who sent you that question.

Every UNM member should print out the Council of Europe resolution they supported and hang it next to Mikheil Saakashvili’s portrait with roses to remember their betrayal, how they first sold out the country and then signed that resolution. Over the years, we had to conduct hundreds of investigations to locate ammunition hidden during the UNM’s tenure.

Following this, the country secured multiple victories against Russia at the Strasbourg Court. After the UNM’s betrayal was exposed at the Strasbourg Court, a temporary parliamentary investigative commission commenced its work. You accuse us of staying silent on Russia, yet in the same breath, you bring up the Strasbourg Court judgment. It is to our team’s credit that we put an end to the UNM’s betrayal and restored dignity to our country. If we were not addressing Russia, how could that Strasbourg judgment have been delivered?

It is shameful. The UNM sells out its country every day. We washed away that treason, so how could I not speak about traitors who sold off country territory? First, they spilt blood in their own country, then they formalised it all in resolutions, and after that, you ask me why I talk about the UNM? If I wasn’t speaking about Russia in Strasbourg, was I speaking about Berlin? It is disgraceful. Every year in August, you betray the country once again and insult the memory of our fallen fellows, creeping around their graves at 06:00 in the morning or 10:00 p.m. so the public doesn’t see you,” Kirtskhalia declared.