Paata Burchuladze: Opposition parties silent despite clear public will expressed on October 4

“I do not understand the silence of opposition parties regarding October 4. Instead of consistently speaking about the will of the people and the determination for the country to follow the European path, they remain silent and allow the ‘Georgian Dream’ to shift public attention from the National Assembly to a forged iron fence that no one needs,” said leader of the Rustaveli Avenue movement Paata Burchuladze during a court hearing in the October 4 case.

According to Burchuladze, the Georgian people clearly expressed their will on October 4 and expect politicians to implement it.

“As I understand it, one of the purposes of the trial is for a person to understand what they did wrong and why they are being punished. Even today, I cannot understand what the prosecution wants from me.

I invited the National Assembly and called on the Georgian people—who urgently need changes to secure the future of their children—to participate. That is why, for the first time in Georgia’s history, a National Assembly was held without participation of political parties, although representatives from all regions, including Abkhazia and Samachablo, attended.

At the Assembly, hundreds of thousands of people unanimously supported a declaration, the content of which you are well aware of. It was a historic and timely gathering where citizens expressed their will for necessary change.

I do not understand the silence of opposition parties around October 4. Instead of speaking about the people’s will and the country’s European path, they remain silent and allow the ‘Georgian Dream’ to divert attention away from the National Assembly toward a meaningless iron fence.

They are also being assisted by so-called opposition forces who participated in the so-called elections and later blamed their own weakness for the outcome of the National Assembly.

On October 4, the Georgian people clearly and loudly expressed their will and expect it to be fulfilled. The fact that October 4 was a success is demonstrated by the fact that afterward, even standing on the sidewalk was prohibited by the authorities.

I am proud of that day and of the people who stood there, and I await the court’s explanation of what the Georgian people and I personally did wrong,” Burchuladze stated.