UNM ‘political games’ already lost with public and Church, ruling party senior MP

Davit Matikashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules, has criticised the United National Movement (UNM), saying its “political games” were already lost both with the public and the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Speaking to TV Imedi, Matikashvili responded to remarks by UNM Chairperson Tina Bokuchava regarding the opposition’s messaging and its engagement on religious issues.

Matikashvili said he believed UNM could not be associated with morality, Christianity or the Church, arguing that these concepts were fundamentally incompatible with the party’s political history and conduct.

He accused Bokuchava of treating religious topics as part of a political agenda aimed at gaining political points.

“These so-called political games have long been lost with the Georgian people and with the Church,” Matikashvili said.

His comments follow Bokuchava’s earlier statement in which she said the opposition should improve its messaging and better communicate with citizens on sensitive social and religious issues.