Georgian opposition UNM leaders meet Moldovan president, FM in Chisinau
The meetings came a day after the leaders of France, Germany and Poland attended Moldova’s Independence Day celebrations
Author
Front News Georgia
The chair of Georgia’s opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), Tina Bokuchava, and the party’s political secretary, Giorgi Baramidze, have met Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi in Chisinau.
The meetings came a day after the leaders of France, Germany and Poland attended Moldova’s Independence Day celebrations, underlining European support for the country’s EU accession efforts.
Bokuchava said the visit demonstrated that Europe was awaiting Georgia as well as Moldova, but claimed that Georgia’s path towards integration was being blocked by what she described as Bidzina Ivanishvili’s [the founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party] “criminal clan”.
“We must double our efforts both abroad and at home to bring about regime change and return Georgia to the path of European integration,” she said.
Baramidze echoed her comments, arguing that while Moldova was progressing towards Europe, Georgia remained “in the hands of Putin’s fifth column” which, he said, sought to restore Russian influence.
Both leaders stressed that Georgia could follow Moldova’s example if freed from what they called pro-Russian forces in government.
