Khatia Dekanoidze and Roman Gotsiridze, the former members of the United National Movement opposition party, on Monday said the parliament’s Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules had rejected their request to set up a new political group in the state legislature. 

Speaking at a press briefing, the lawmakers who have left the party due to internal controversies, claimed the decision was “unfair” and dictated by “fear”. 

“The ruling party is afraid of a new political group, because this means additional levers and time for the opposition”, Dekanoidze said. 

The chairman of the committee, Irakli Kadagishvili, responded that the right to create political groups was given to the MPs who entered the parliament on the list of one party and then left the specific party. He claimed the possibility to create a political group did not apply to those lawmakers, who had been included in the list of the electoral block that later created a faction in the parliament.