Ex-UNM chair’s potential party “won’t merge” with other opposition – Bacho Dolidze

Bacho Dolidze, an ally of Nika Melia, a former chair of the United National Movement who left the largest opposition group earlier this year, on Friday clarified a potential new party by them had no intentions of merging with any existing political party. 

In a recent statement, Dolidze emphasized their commitment to collaboration with all opposition parties, particularly those aligned with pro-Western values, including the party the Lelo opposition group. 

While expressing a willingness to work on strategic issues with various political entities, Dolidze made it clear that this collaboration did not entail forming a unified list with other parties ahead of the next year’s elections. 

“We have already announced that we plan to participate in this political life independently, to fight. No, friends, we are not going anywhere. We are going to have a separate political platform,” stated Dolidze, asserting their commitment to an independent political stance with substantial plans for active engagement.

Mamuka Khazaradze, the Lelo leader, this month claimed his party had plans to have a “strategic cooperation” with Melia’s platform in the future.