Opposition leader accuses Mayor Kaladze of winning power struggle through ‘street tactics’, ‘criminal ties’

Opposition politician Levan Sanikidze has accused Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze of prevailing in a “violent internal power struggle” within the ruling Georgian Dream party, allegedly involving “street-style showdowns” and “criminal interference.”

In his comments on Thursday, the United National Movement (UNM) leader claimed that Kaladze had outmanoeuvred rival contenders to retain his position, with the reported backing of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.

“Kaladze appears to have defeated his opponents through street tactics and the involvement of criminal figures,” Sanikidze said. “There were other candidates [for Mayoral post] being considered, but it seems losing Kaladze would have been too damaging for Georgian Dream - especially after the recent departures of [Irakli] Garibashvili, [Tornike] Rizhvadze, [Grigol] Liluashvili, [Vakhtang] Gomelauri, and [Zviad Kharazishvili] ‘Khareba’”. 

Sanikidze claimed Ivanishvili had given Kaladze a temporary mandate to “make money from city hall” before any further reshuffling.

He also described the upcoming 4 October local elections as a “Russian-style special operation,” claiming the process was designed not to reflect the will of voters but to give a false sense of legitimacy to the ruling elite.