UNM’s Ana Tsitlidze: Elene Khoshtaria confirmed that Nika Gilauri was an informal leader in election campaign

“Many details in this letter are not sincere. However, Elene confirmed that Nika Gilauri (former prime minister) was actively involved in the Ahali election campaign as an informal leader, though saying nothing about financial issues. She rejects the version that Gilauri was considered an interim Prime Ministerial candidate,” wrote Ana Tsitlidze, a member of the United National Movement (UNM) party, in her social network post.

As Tsitlidze notes, this letter from Elene Khoshtaria resembles both an attempt to justify herself and the fulfilment of an obligation before Gilauri.

“Elene justifies Gilauri’s disappearance from protests by saying he had no obligation. Then a logical question arises: If Gilauri had no obligation, why should ordinary citizens be involved in the protest? Or, in general, who has such an obligation innate from birth?

I think such a justification serves the only goal: Coalition leaders owe to Gilauri not because he financed their election campaign but because he covered their personal expenses, including the use of personal cars. In the end, everything will be disclosed,” she wrote.

Jailed Droa Leader and one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, Elene Khoshtaria, wrote in her Facebook post that “Nika Gilauri (former prime minister) has never given any instructions or tasks. At no stage of the cooperation was Gilauri’s candidacy for prime minister a prerequisite. His principal, correct and our shared position was a common candidate for PM, including Salome Zourabichvili as a possible candidate.”

In a written interview with TV Pirveli, ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili called Nika Gilauri’s joining political processes a “grave mistake.” He noted that the “Gilauri brothers are classic representatives of a criminal banking syndicate, and the time will soon come when the banking bosses will face criminal responsibility along with the dictatorship.”