UNM Parulava: Party will have six-month preparatory period before holding both primaries and internal elections

“We are opening the door to everyone and are ready to deeply transform the party, carry out its institutional transformation, and ensure its recovery,” said Lasha Parulava, a member of the opposition United National Movement party.

According to Parulava, the party will have a six-month preparatory period before holding both primaries and internal elections.

“The party will not violate the requirements of the law. We are talking about a six-month period that will serve as an opportunity for our society, new members, and activists to participate in the life of the party. We want to open the door to the wider public, to those who are fighting against the Russian regime in the country. They have their own initiatives—there are things they support and things they do not. Therefore, the door is open, and everyone can join with their own ideas.

Nanuka Zhorzholiani will implement this process together with Mikheil Saakashvili. Where Misha is, there is the party, and the party will establish an appropriate group to implement these initiatives.

We are opening the door to everyone and are ready to deeply transform the party, carry out its transformation, and strengthen it institutionally. After six months, both internal primaries and internal elections will be held. This six-month period is intended to prepare the process. We will go through this democratic test in good faith.

Of course, some people find this unacceptable, but personally, I find it unacceptable to fight for a position within the party while there is political terror in the country and our comrades are in prison. Our task should be to save these people through action, not by competing for party positions.

A legal governing structure will be established within the party to ensure the implementation of the decisions made by the Reform Council. The Reform Council itself may not have a legal status, but the party will fully implement all of its decisions. The legal structure will comply with the law, and there will be no inconsistencies. We guarantee this.

This decision will be made at the party congress. There will be a unified structure, with the United National Movement legally implementing the Reform Council’s decisions through the appropriate mechanisms established within the party.

As for the Reform Council, its members, and its initiatives, Mikheil Saakashvili will supervise the process, while Nanuka Zhorzholiani will serve as its executive. The process will be open and transparent. We will fully cooperate with the Council. Whether or not it has legal status, the party will establish a legal mechanism to ensure that its decisions are implemented,” Lasha Parulava said.

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili published a post on social media on July 8 proposing that the United National Movement elect a temporary governing body and establish a Reform Council, with himself serving as chairman and Nanuka Zhorzholiani as executive secretary.