UNM Chair: After Zourabichvili’s statements, should I also distance myself, claim I knew nothing about Burchuladze’s plans?

“The rally was organised and is still organised by Rustaveli Avenue movement, which has its own leadership. We did not know about their specific plans,” stated Tina Bokuchava, Chairwoman of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party.

According to her, the primary aim of the UNM was to encourage a large turnout on Rustaveli Avenue.

“Rustaveli Avenue was and remains the organiser of the rally, with its own leadership. We, the United National Movement, along with an official statement, joined and continue to support the protest because our main goal was to prevent the Russian special operation, which Bidzina Ivanishvili calls the elections, from taking place, and to facilitate that many people gather on Rustaveli Avenue. We had no knowledge of any specific plan. The rally had a designated organiser with a particular agenda. Our principal task was to ensure a large turnout on Rustaveli. I have expressed this personally, and we have always emphasised this,” Bokuchava explained.

She further criticised the regime’s tactics, asserting that they aim not only to accuse individuals of attempting a coup d’état and to arrest certain people but also to sow discord within the opposition.

“I was deeply unsettled by Salome Zourabischvili’s statement yesterday, which was clearly speculative. We must handle each statement with great responsibility so that the regime does not exploit it to incite division within the opposition. Today, Zourabichvili called what happened a provocation and distanced herself from the process; quite simply. Now, should I also come out and distance myself, claiming I had no idea what Paata Burchuladze was planning? It turns out he had no plan at all. Perhaps he was plotting a coup, or something else, but the truth is, he was not planning anything good. And yet, here we are, and nothing has come of it. Is this what opposition leaders should do today? If we are to stand united, let us protect each other. All of us standing here today share some responsibility,” Bokuchava concluded.