UNM mayoral candidate leaves GPB-hosted debates after introductory speech
“I came here to personally tell the Georgian Dream’s Secretary-General about the immorally violent and corrupt people in power today. People, who are abusing civilians day and night,” said Nika Melia, the Chairman of the United National Movement and Tbilisi mayoral candidate, in a televised debate among all mayoral candidates that the GPB First Channel hosted on September 21.
Melia said he respects voters of all parties but cannot stay close to the corrupt abuser. After the introductory speech, Nika Melia left the debate among all 16 mayoral candidates hosted by the Georgian Public Broadcaster.
“Why am I here, and why do I partake in a format that in no way contributes to a real debate, and unfortunately, our viewers will convince of that. I came here to personally tell the Georgian Dream’s Secretary-General about the immorally violent and corrupt people in power today. I came to tell him that these people do not care about anything. These people are abusing civilians in broad daylight. This man, who represents them today here, an infinitely corrupt man, protector of criminals, employer of criminals, is also doing so. We all know what they did today in Dmanisi. Therefore, he is a person who must be defeated not by any party but by the Georgian people. He will be defeated because he is an abuser. I am sincere, and I mean what I mean. While respecting all party voters, I cannot stay close to a violent, corrupt, subversive man who runs criminals. That’s all, so long,” Nika Melia said.
On September 21, 2021, GPB First Channel hosted debates among all the Tbilisi mayoral candidates, including Tamar Kekenadze – Third Force- Strategy Aghmashenebeli #1; Giorgi Lomia – David Tarkhan-Mouravi, Irma Inashvili – Alliance of Patriots of Georgia #8; Ana Bibilashvili – Lelo #9; Mikheil Kumsishvili – Shalva Natelashvili – Georgian Labor Party #10; Giorgi Kutateladze – Georgia #13; Teimuraz Bobokhidze – Mamuli #15; Giorgi Laghidze – Giorgi Laghidze – Future Georgia #20; Arnize Richard Ogbunuju – Our United Georgia #23; Giorgi Gakharia – Gakharia – for Georgia #25; Ketevan Nakashidze – Mamuka Tuskadze – For Social Justice #29; Evgeni Ghviniashvili – Socialist Workers’ Party #30; Zaza Khatiashvili – Free Georgia (Zaza Khatiashvili, Kakha Kukava, Grigol Jojua) #37; Kakha Kaladze – Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia #41; Ana Dolidze – Ana Dolidze – For People 48; Giorgi Gachechiladze – Gachechiladze – Green Party #50. Nikanor Melia from the United National Movement, # 5, also took part in the debates but left after a one-minute of introduction speech.
The local elections are scheduled for October 2, 2021.