14 UNM members in Zugdidi City Assembly leave party

Fourteen of total 22 members of the United National Movement faction in the Zugdidi City Assembly in western Georgia on Tuesday quit the largest opposition group, citing “undemocratic rule” under the current leadership and pledging to join former Chair Nika Melia. 

Those leaving the party include the chair and the deputy chair of the UNM faction, heads of commissions and other representatives. 

Several UNM members in Tbilisi City Assembly, as well as other members also left the party over the last several weeks, accusing Levan Khabeishvili, the current chair, of pursuing a “wrong policy”. 

Khabeishvili, labeled as a “puppet” in the hands of former UNM officials by Melia, defeated the latter in the January chairmanship race.