UNM official: ruling party’s claim on competitive elections “unconvincing” without Saakashvili pardon

Petre Tsiskarishvili, Secretary General of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition, on Friday criticised the government’s claim that upcoming local elections would be held in a competitive environment, arguing it would have been credible only if former president Mikheil Saakashvili had been pardoned before last year’s parliamentary vote.

In his press comments, Tsiskarishvili welcomed President Mikheil Kavelashvili’s statement earlier during the day on pardoning Lelo opposition leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, but claimed the pledges on political competition ahead of the October 4 municipal elections lacked sincerity.

“I welcome the freedom of all political prisoners – this is something that makes us happy as human beings. Of course, Mamuka [Khazaradze] and Badri [Japaridze] were political prisoners, jailed on completely fabricated charges,” Tsiskarishvili said.

“But I would only believe Georgian Dream’s claim that elections should take place in a competitive environment if last year, ahead of the parliamentary elections, they had pardoned Mikheil Saakashvili. He would then have been able to fully participate in the electoral process. Only in that case would I believe their political will is truly for elections to be held competitively, without any party or movement leader behind bars,” he added.