UNM Chair: I suffered deep remorse that Khabeishvili’s health was given as false reason for his replacement

“I wish to apologise to the public that we were not honest two years ago. The public will remember that Levan Khabeishvili’s health condition was cited as the reason for his replacement, but this was not the real reason, and I have kept silent about it for two years,” the current Chairperson of the United National Movement (UNM), Tina Bokuchava, stated on Formula TV.

According to Bokuchava, she has suffered a severe crisis of conscience over the matter for the past two years.

“When the chairmanship changed, I had to step in and replace Levan Khabeishvili. The public remembers the justification we presented at the time, a process in which I also participated. Two years on, I believe it is time to be completely honest with the people. The reason given back then was his health. You will remember that Levan was practically tortured. It would have surprised no one if he had needed dedicated time for rehabilitation and treatment, but that was not the real reason, and I didn’t speak out about it for two years.

Now, the President [Saakashvili] himself and Levan have spoken out in public posts published over the last few days. The real reason was tied to the attempt to form an opposition coalition back then, and the fact that some political actors seemingly viewed Levan as an unacceptable political leader. That is what triggered the substitution. If there is one thing I find intolerable in politics, it is not fierce debate, but dishonesty. At the time, I wasn’t, and couldn’t be, honest because of the grand objectives we believed were driving us. I believe honesty would have allowed us to manage the processes more healthily.

Moreover, had we spoken the truth back then, I would have absolutely made it a matter of principle to hold direct internal elections within the party. I lacked the mandate of public legitimacy required to challenge the founding chairman, internal party factions, or others who might have opposed party reforms at various points, even on decisions that were of fundamental importance to me,” Tina Bokuchava stated.

Furthermore, Bokuchava noted that when it comes to replacing “the old guard with the new” and other issues, she had wanted to make many vital proclamations but was never afforded the opportunity.

“In this process, I was hindered by President Saakashvili’s captivity, the constant threat of the party being banned, a lack of resources, and a degree of resistance from certain factions within the party,” Bokuchava added.

She also stated that she has not yet decided whether she will run for the party chairmanship again.

“This decision depends on many variables, including who the other competitors will be, who will be in my team, and what President Saakashvili’s ultimate stance will be, given his immeasurably vast role. What positions the party factions hold by the time of the convention will also be crucial. In the past, they may have resisted my vision for reforms. Additionally, there are factors beyond our control; tomorrow or the day after, the opposition leaders we stand with in protest might be sent back to prison, and the constitutional proceedings aiming to outlaw the party could be resurrected,” Bokuchava remarked.