If the opposition wants to gain victory in the forthcoming 2024 parliamentary elections, parties must distance themselves from the United National Movement, Khatia Dekanoidze, an opposition MP and a former UNM leader said on Tuesday. 

“The key to winning the elections is not really in the UNM”, Dekanoidze said, adding she would not have quit the party if saw the potential and had faith in the UNM’s current chair Levan Khabeishvili. 

The former law enforcement official in the UNM government and then in Ukraine, noted the parties and politicians around the UNM, who she said speak on behalf of the party - like Tamar Charkviani, Gubaz Sanikidze, Strategy Aghmashenebeli and others - would be unable to bring additional votes to the party, as their votes “belong to Saakashvili”. 

“[...] and in my opinion, this orbit should be separate. The UNM should be in its own orbit - any party that joins it will not be able to bring votes to the party or unite its own voters," said Dekanoidze.