Opposition leader criticises participation in local elections

Elene Khoshtaria, an opposition figure and leader within the Coalition for Changes, has criticised what she describes as a contradictory approach by some opposition parties considering participation in Georgia’s upcoming local elections this autumn, despite rejecting the legitimacy of the current government.

In her comments on Wednesday, Khoshtaria accused the ruling authorities of illegitimacy and questioned the rationale behind engaging in electoral processes overseen by institutions she claimed were compromised.

"I am saying that you are illegitimate, the president is illegitimate because he was elected by an illegitimate parliament. And yet, at the same time, I go and say that I recognize the decisions of this illegitimately appointed person. This is their legitimacy," Khoshtaria said.

She argued that taking part in elections under a government widely criticised by the opposition undermined their own position and confused international partners.

"Why can't you participate in the elections and why was Lelo's position surprising to me – if we say that a Russian special operation took place on October 26 [parliamentary elections last year] and the government, as an institution, rigged the elections, this means that you no longer trust elections under this regime,” she said. “Moreover, after the elections were stolen on the 26th, the rules of the game have only worsened.”

Khoshtaria stressed that recognising the election procedures organised by the current government effectively validated its authority, which she and others claim is unconstitutional.

“What will we tell our partners? We are calling on them not to recognise the Georgian Dream, and then we enter this process ourselves? What kind of logic is that?” she added.