Opposition MP Roman Gotsiridze announced on social media that his decision not to extend his parliamentary activity was a personal political choice. He reassured his followers that his absence from Parliament would not diminish his involvement in the public and political sphere.
“The electoral lists of the parties have been published. The main achievement in this process is that the opposition managed to unite and present four competitive blocs for the elections,” Gotsiridze stated.
Addressing why he is not on any of the electoral lists, he explained that the decision was not solely his own.
“I would have declined to join two of the four blocs, while the other two are multi-entity blocs where each side has minimal representation. I had no desire or intention to pressure anyone, nor would it have been appropriate to do so,” he explained.
He emphasized the importance of political parties as the main actors in political life, acknowledging the difficulties of maintaining balance within the system.
“When the environment becomes unbearable, you must leave. This leads to happiness and freedom, returning you to neutrality and objectivity, which makes you more trustworthy to voters and the media. However, this also has a downside; being disconnected from party roots makes it challenging to accomplish what you could do alongside a party, including leveraging a powerful platform like Parliament,” the MP added.
Gotsiridze remarked that lonely political romantics must accept this reality from the start.
“Of course, I could have joined a party whose ideology aligns more closely with my views, but that would have hindered my ability to form a political group as an independent MP and engage in independent activities,” the MP said.
He expressed pride in the Euro-Optimists, a group he co-founded with another opposition MP Khatia Dekanoidze, for leaving a modest mark on the current Parliament by introducing 26 legislative initiatives.
“We hope the next Parliament will not shelve these documents for long,” he added.
In conclusion, Gotsiridze reiterated that opting out of parliamentary activity was his political choice, assuring that his presence would continue to be felt in the public-political sphere. He pledged to support anyone concerned about the future of the country with his knowledge and experience.
He also expressed gratitude to everyone he has collaborated with, particularly thanking the young and talented members of the Euro-Optimists for their significant contributions to their work in Parliament.
