Kobakhidze: UNM win in elections could lead to “Ukrainization”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday told Imedi TV that a potential victory of the United National Movement opposition in the upcoming elections this year could lead to the ‘Ukrainization’ of Georgia, drawing parallels with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

 

The official urged the public to reconsider their choices, advocating for a path focused on “peace and economic development” rather than aligning with what he referred to as the “War Party”. He emphasized the need to avoid the potential repercussions of the UNM’s policies, pointing to hypothetical scenarios involving sanctions, volunteer deployments, and a shift towards a harsher political rhetoric.

 

Kobakhidze highlighted the theoretical implications of a victory by the UNM in the 2020 parliamentary elections or through extraordinary elections in 2021 and painted a picture of a direct result being the ‘Ukrainization’ of Georgia, cautioning that similar consequences could unfold even after 2024.

 

Despite the concerns raised by Kobakhidze, he expressed confidence in the GD’s current standing, stating that the party was well-positioned to secure a constitutional majority – at least 113 seats in the 150-member parliament.  He suggested that this would keep the UNM below 35 mandates based on the current political landscape.

 

Furthermore, Kobakhidze alluded to certain factions seeking to “undermine the trust in the Church”, attributing these actions to political motivations. He claimed “some people do not like the fact that the Church enjoys a special reputation and trust in the country, therefore, they want to somehow undermine this trust.The attack on the church has only a political explanation”.