UNM’s Tsitlidze: Thousands back UNM fundraiser; small donations prove party rests on grassroots resolve, not money

“My heartfelt thanks go to the thousands of members of the United National Movement who contributed donations throughout the day yesterday. This demonstrates that the United National Movement rests firmly upon the support of Georgian citizens and the unwavering resolve of the party’s thousands of members and voters,” declared UNM member Ana Tsitlidze.

She added that these contributions represent far more than financial donations; they reflect the deep trust the party receives from its electorate.

“As you know, the United National Movement announced reforms to turn the party into a genuinely people-centred movement, in line with President Mikheil Saakashvili’s vision and call to action. A few weeks ago, we presented our roadmap for the party’s development to the public, which rests on two core components: broad member participation in party activities. We are introducing additional mechanisms to ensure direct member involvement in decision-making, which we are currently debating on a technical level, whether via a mobile app or other digital platforms; and second, financial independence. This is paramount for any party’s autonomy, ensuring complete freedom from external influence.

The primary guarantors of this independence are our members. We launched this initiative yesterday, and thousands of United National Movement supporters made donations to the party and the cause it serves. I must particularly highlight our diaspora. Special gratitude also goes to those individuals who contribute five, ten, or twenty lari—sums of that scale. This shows with utmost clarity that the United National Movement stands on the support of Georgian citizens and the resolve of its vast membership and electorate.

Despite Bidzina Ivanishvili’s repressions, Ivanishvili has failed to break or buy the members and voters of the United National Movement. This is not just a donation; it is a vote of confidence from our electorate, placing a greater responsibility upon us to deliver precisely the reforms our voters demand from us,” Ana Tsitlidze stated.

Furthermore, Tsitlidze noted that a Political Council meeting will precede the party’s main convention to establish the procedural rules for the gathering.

“First and foremost, a Political Council meeting will take place to lay down the rules for conducting the convention. Following that, the convention itself will convene to elect the governing body, which will then prepare the party over a six-month transition period for the fundamental reforms already announced within our ranks,” Tsitlidze explained.