UNM member apologizes voters for “gossiping” of incumbent party chair

Levan Khabeishvili, a member of the United National Movement running for the party chairmanship, on Wednesday apologized the voters of the largest opposition group for the recent interview of the party chair Nika Melia, who had accused the former interior minister Vano Merabishvili of interfering in the party’s agenda from the backstage and an illegal release of a audio recording involving him. 

He also said Khabeishvili had been instructed by Merabishvili, and that the former had “no influence” in the party. 

In his comments, Khabeishvili said Melia was “gossiping”, without any plans about the party’s future or the release of currently imprisoned former president and the party founder Mikheil Saakashvili from prison. 

“I am surprised. Not a single word about president Saakashvili’s health, his transfer abroad [for treatment], plans, actions, strengthening of the party, the defeat of the Russian oligarch [in reference to the ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili], his harmfulness, no communication with his party members. I want to apologize to the supporters of the UNM for seeing him completely naked politically and gossiping”, Khabeishvili said. 

Melia claimed Merabishvili and former defence minister David Kezerashvili, who is currently wanted for several crimes, were attempting to remove him from the party leadership.