Georgian PM pledges justice for United National Movement opposition post-elections

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has emphasized the importance of holding the United National Movement opposition, the former ruling power, accountable as a political force following the October elections. Speaking on Rustavi 2, Kobakhidze described this as “one of the national tasks that must be solved.”

Kobakhidze highlighted that many members of the UNM had faced trials at various judicial levels, including the high-profile case of Mikheil Saakashvili, the former President. 

Despite several convictions, Kobakhidze asserted that the focus should be on prosecuting the organization as a whole. “We are essentially talking about the trial of a political force, that is, the trial of this agency, which can be freely followed by judgments at the individual level,” he said.

He further noted that a comprehensive review of all crimes committed by the UNM could lead to individual punishments. “As for the forms of justice, we will definitely talk about it after the elections. This is a national task, I would say so, because in the conditions when the opposition in the country is called a criminal, criminal political force, a democratic, healthy political system can never be established in the country,” Kobakhidze added.