UNM’s Tsitlidze: UNM’s fight will go on regardless of the Constitutional Court ruling

“Today we are not just representing political parties. This lawsuit is not only about banning political parties; it is Russia’s lawsuit against Georgia’s sovereignty and freedom,” Ana Tsitlidze, a member of the United National Movement, said outside the Constitutional Court in Batumi.

She said the opposition is today defending Georgia’s sovereignty from Georgian Dream, or in reality from the “Russian Dream”.

“We do not expect that the Constitutional Court judges will reach an objective decision. If we had, they would have ruled the lawsuit unconstitutional from the outset. The lawsuit filed by the regime has nothing to do with legal process. If the Constitutional Court had wanted to reach a different decision, it should never have accepted this lawsuit for consideration in the first place. We don’t expect them to decide any differently. They will decide what Bidzina Ivanishvili tells them, what the Kremlin tells them, but the reality for the country will be grim.

The Constitutional Court and its judges must know that they are not just banning political parties. This is not about a deterioration of democracy. Through this case, the Constitutional Court is being made to rule on, for example, the 2008 war. Until now, Georgian Dream blamed Georgia for the war only in statements. Today Bidzina Ivanishvili is instructing the Constitutional Court, the country’s highest body, to create a constitutional basis for Russia’s aggression against Georgia,” Tsitlidze said.

She claimed the lawsuit is built entirely around the 2008 war and reflects all of Russia’s demands on Georgia.

“Whatever decision the Constitutional Court makes, we aim to show Georgian citizens once again the danger the country faces from banning political parties. The United National Movement’s fight will continue, whatever decision the Constitutional Court makes,” Tsitlidze said.

The Constitutional Court is commencing its substantive hearing on the merits regarding the constitutionality and potential banning of five political parties.