Opposition Alliance’s Gvaramia: Pinning everything on me is unpleasant, untrue and harmful

“Whether the alliance will take part in elections; if so, what they would consider a legitimate election; if not, why not; whether entering parliament was the right call; and if they did not enter, why. On none of these matters have I ever taken a decision alone, nor will I, nor can I,” Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the Opposition Alliance, has taken to social media.

According to Gvaramia, this was not possible then, and it remains impossible now.

“I have never wanted it to be otherwise, and I never will. Equally, I have never made decisions regarding the financing, whether it concerns receiving or spending funds, on my own. So when certain sleepless friends, politicians, journalists, or voters and protesters attribute everything to me personally, it is, on one level, gratifying to the ego, but on another, it is unpleasant, it is untrue, and it is damaging: damaging to me personally, and, far more importantly, damaging to the cause itself. Besides, at this particular moment, the last thing anyone needs, whether it is me or anyone else, is to be perceived as the pre-eminent leader. If anything, quite the opposite.

Given these circumstances, it would likely be beneficial for everyone to clarify their respective positions on each of the issues discussed. Journalists and engaged citizens should also understand that awkward and difficult questions are not meant for me alone. That is neither fair nor rational, and it creates the impression that if everything goes well, the credit belongs to everyone together, but if something goes wrong or falls short, Gvaramia is to blame.

We must all remember, and others must understand, that responsibility is shared and distributed equally among us all: whether within a party, a coalition, or an alliance. Whether in freedom or behind bars. For the good and the bad alike, for success and for failure.

Every political leader, whether at liberty, in prison, or abroad, should write plainly and intelligibly, so that anyone can understand: their position on participation in the 2028 elections and the conditions they would require; how they view, in hindsight, the question of entering or not entering parliament; what they were thinking and where they stood when that decision was taken. And so on,” Gvaramia writes.