Opposition leader: pardons of Khazaradze, Japaridze aimed at fuelling division

Paata Manjgaladze, a leader of the opposition Strategy Aghmashenebeli party, has claimed that the pardon of opposition figures Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze was designed to deepen divisions within Georgia’s opposition.

Speaking to Front News on Friday,  Manjgaladze dismissed President Mikheil Kavelashvili’s authority, calling him “not a real president” and lacking legitimacy. He argued that the decision to pardon the two leaders of the Strong Georgia – Lelo coalition was intended to provoke infighting.

“The reason Khazaradze and Japaridze were pardoned was to create even more confrontation. We should not fall into this trap or give it attention. Kavelashvili is nobody,” he said.

While welcoming their release as a humanitarian act, Manjgaladze added that, in his view, Khazaradze and Japaridze should have refused to take part in elections in protest.

He expressed confidence, however, that the two leaders would join a planned rally on Rustaveli Avenue on 4 October. “That will be judgment day for Ivanishvili’s regime,” he said, referring to Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party and its founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.

President Kavelashvili on Friday pardoned Khazaradze and Japaridze, who had been serving prison terms on charges they say were politically motivated and related to their refusal to participate in the work of a parliamentary investigation commission probing alleged crimes under the United National Movement government.