Vice Speaker Volski: opposition seeks to present Gilauri as its leader

Georgia's First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Giorgi Volski has claimed that the opposition is attempting to position former Prime Minister Nika Gilauri as its leader, arguing that he is being presented as the public face of what Volski described as a "destructive movement."

Speaking to reporters, Volski said Gilauri was viewed as someone who "more or less appears to be a professional", which, in his view, explained why opposition forces wanted to promote him.

"Nika Gilauri is a person who more or less appears to be a professional, and they want to present him as the leader of this destructive movement," Volski said.

He also criticised former President Mikheil Saakashvili, saying he had failed through his actions, manner of speaking and political vision.

"At one time, Saakashvili himself did not think highly of Nika Gilauri. Whether Gilauri, with his image and supposed intellect, will benefit the opposition is difficult to say. The fact is that his potential is significantly limited by what is essentially an agenda of destabilising the country," Volski said.

He accused opposition groups of advocating "destabilisation, revolution and the forceful removal of the government", adding that Gilauri was now being incorporated into that political agenda.

"They want to place Gilauri in that context, but they are unlikely to succeed. They are promising Georgia a future of turmoil, and Nika Gilauri is being considered as part of that group. Such an environment would poison anyone, whether it is Nika Gilauri or anyone else," Volski said.

Volski's comments came after Saakashvili, in a written interview with TV Pirveli, described Nika and Irakli Gilauri as "classic representatives of a banking criminal syndicate" and claimed that "the time will come when banking executives will stand trial alongside the dictatorship."