Ruling party MP accuses UNM of seeking to delegitimise government

Georgian Dream MP Tornike Cheishvili has accused the United National Movement (UNM) and its “affiliated opposition groups” of trying to undermine the legitimacy of Georgia’s government, as the Constitutional Court considers a lawsuit seeking to ban five opposition parties.

Cheishvili said the opposition was attempting to portray Georgian Dream as unconstitutional, both domestically and internationally, while failing to present legal counterarguments to the ruling party’s case.

He alleged that the opposition’s actions reinforced claims made in the lawsuit that the UNM and its affiliates had spent years challenging the government’s legitimacy.

Commenting on separate reports alleging that the European Commission funded organisations involved in violent protests in Italy and France, Cheishvili said that, if confirmed, the allegations could further hinder efforts to normalise relations with the EU.

He claimed Georgia had experienced similar attempts to encourage anti-government activities and accused European institutions of interfering in sovereign states’ internal affairs.