“I don’t consider it correct to say now that anyone should enter Parliament. They shouldn’t enter now either – ‘Lelo’ remains unequivocally committed to the decision made,” said Tazo Datunashvili, one of the leaders of “Lelo-Strong Georgia,” on PalitraNews’ program “Day’s Newsroom,” commenting on the statement by Giorgi Gakharia, the leader of “Gakharia for Georgia,” that abandoning parliamentary mandates was a mistake.
As Tazo Datunashvili noted, the main goal of both “Gakharia for Georgia” and “Lelo-Strong Georgia” is to remove “Ivanishvili and the Russians from power, and this goal must not be undermined.”
“Neither I nor any of my comrades need urging when it comes to stating our position. If we abandon the principle of ‘you go first’ in the political process, we might take a small step toward improving the political landscape.
The decision we made after the rigged October 2024 elections, not to recognize those elections or their results and not to enter Parliament, I am convinced, will be regarded as a historic event.
I am certain that by not entering Parliament and not granting legitimacy, we hindered Bidzina Ivanishvili, specifically by not allowing him to implement his plan to rig elections, then legitimize them, bring us in, gain legitimacy, and move to the final phase of handing the country over to Russia.
That decision was one of the correct ones. We still believe so today. It brought delegitimization and raised the issue of Georgia on the international stage.
To say now that someone should enter Parliament, I don’t think is correct. They shouldn’t enter now either.
‘Lelo’ remains unequivocally committed to the decision. Going against it is not correct in today’s political process. It will not bring anything good to the main goal. Why do I refrain from making calls? Calls often involve insults. Gakharia’s team is now our partner in the context of the local elections, and we are all united by one thing: removing Ivanishvili and the Russians from power. We must not forget this goal and must act in a way that does not hinder it. I believe we are on the right path with the boycott we initiated and what we are doing now,” Datunashvili stated.
Additionally, he commented on the part of the investigative commission’s report claiming that the “National Movement,” non-governmental organizations, as well as the coalitions “For Change,” “Strong Georgia,” and “Gakharia for Georgia” are obstructing the formation of a healthy political system. According to Tazo Datunashvili, Tea Tsulukiani presented a 460-page “complete delusion,” and “the author of creating an unhealthy political environment in the country is Ivanishvili himself.”
“In the Georgian encyclopedia, the word ‘impudence’ will surely have Tea Tsulukiani’s picture first, as a demonstration of a person who embodies that term.
The commission included people who were responsible for many things during the ‘National Movement’ era. Sozar Subari ‘rigged’ Mikheil Saakashvili’s elections in his time, Tengiz Sharmanashvili rewrote the Constitution to suit the ‘National Movement.’ Givi Mikanadze, Songhulashvilis, Odisharias… a legion of mediocre nobodies who served the previous government for their mediocrity are now part of this one. The problem should first be sought among these people. This was a 460-page complete delusion! Its purpose is to rewrite Georgia’s recent history against Georgian interests and in favor of Russia, and the second purpose is to ‘pin’ criminal cases on political leaders and their opponents.
For 13 years, Ivanishvili, with the support of Russian special services, has been conducting a special operation in this country that has completely dismantled the political system.
If anyone is guilty of creating an unhealthy political environment in this country, it is Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili has brought the country to the catastrophe it faces today. The country is isolated on the international stage, it has strayed from its historical path, and today there is a real danger that it will officially be formalized as Russia’s vassal. This is all Ivanishvili’s problem,” Datunashvili stated.
He also responded to the question about the purpose of the report’s claim that the “National Movement” facilitated a business racketeering scheme involving the private bank TBC and its leaders, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze.
According to Tazo Datunashvili, it is astonishing that Tengiz Sharmanashvili and Sozar Subari are talking about the “National Movement’s” racketeering scheme.
“The commission is Ivanishvili’s brainchild. Tea Tsulukiani, as a monster, is a Frankenstein’s monster created by Ivanishvili and his system.
The existence of this commission is a result of Ivanishvili’s desires. The commission’s purpose is to initiate criminal cases against opponents at all costs and to pin lies on them.
It is astonishing that Tengiz Sharmanashvili and Sozar Subari are talking about the ‘National Movement’s’ racketeering scheme,” Datunashvili stated.
Tazo Datunashvili: Refusing the mandates was the right decision; it brought about the delegitimization of the “Dream” party, and moving in the opposite direction will bring nothing good to the main goal; As for Tsulukiani, she presented complete nonsense – the author of the unhealthy environment is Ivanishvili himself
