Ruling party under Ivanishvili playing with Georgia’s fate as controversial bill resubmitted – Ahali Leader Melia

Nika Melia, the former chair of the United National Movement and the leader of the Ahali political party, on Wednesday criticized recent actions by the ruling party to reintroduce the foreign agents bill. In his press comments, Melia accused Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling party and its current honorary chair, of being the driving force behind such moves, once again labeling him as a “shadow ruler.”

Melia expressed concerns that the ruling party’s actions were jeopardizing Georgia’s European future and emphasized the need for citizens to react accordingly. He condemned what he perceives as provocative steps taken by the ruling party, which he believed were pushing the country away from its aspirations towards European integration.

“The attempt to revise history, particularly regarding our aspirations to become a full member of the European Union, is a betrayal of the efforts made by previous generations,” Melia asserted. 

Melia underscored the European perspective was crucial for Georgia’s national development, emphasizing that the future did not lie in affiliations with Moscow. He criticized the perceived pro-Russian stance of Ivanishvili and his affiliates and stressed the importance of countering this threat through European integration.

In response to the government’s actions, Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the UNM party, also accused the parliamentary majority of prioritizing their own interests over those of the Georgian people. He criticized the government’s attempts to obstruct Georgia’s path towards EU membership by reintroducing the draft law.

Khabeishvili stressed the importance of empowering citizens to decide the future direction of the country and urged them to take action to achieve their goals.