Prepared by Messenger Staff
UNM Leader Tina Bokuchava Meets U.S. Security Council Officials
Tina Bokuchava, chairperson of the United National Movement (UNM), said the United States considers Georgia's sovereignty and democratic future a priority, following a meeting with representatives of the U.S. National Security Council at the White House.
"Georgia, the Georgian people, our statehood and freedom are very important to the United States, and they also understand that there can be no peace in the South Caucasus and our region if there is a regime in Georgia that violates fundamental rights and imprisons its opponents," Bokuchava stated after the meeting.
She said discussions with U.S. officials focused on Georgia's ongoing political crisis and what she described as "anti-democratic, anti-Western steps" by the government led by Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Bokuchava emphasized that Washington has repeatedly expressed concern. "We have heard this repeatedly from Vice President J.D. Vance. Accordingly, for our common security, peace, prosperity and the restoration of relations with the United States, it is necessary for the Georgian people to be represented by a pro-Western, pro-American and, most importantly, pro-national government that will fulfill the historic choice of the Georgian people to become part of the free world," she said.
The UNM press release noted that the National Security Council reports directly to U.S. President Donald Trump. It added that "separate attention was paid to the issue of political imprisonment of the party's founder and third President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and the chairman of the party's political council, Levan Khabeishvili."
Kaladze Accuses Opposition of Being 'Managed from Outside'
Georgian Dream Tbilisi Mayor candidate Kakha Kaladze accused opposition parties of taking direction from foreign patrons, contrasting their activities with Georgian Dream's outreach to voters ahead of upcoming elections.
"This once again confirms that these people have no connection with Georgia or Georgians. It is proof that they are managed from outside and have their patrons," Kaladze said, referring to recent opposition visits abroad.
According to the mayor, while the ruling party meets with citizens to discuss projects planned for the next four years, opposition leaders are instead traveling abroad to receive instructions. "We go out and meet with voters every day, discussing the projects we will implement in the next four years. Meanwhile, they meet their patrons abroad, probably receiving instructions on how to act," he said.
Kaladze stressed that Georgian Dream remains focused on serving the public. "This is the difference - Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia serves and engages with the Georgian people. Most importantly, it does the work of Georgia," he stated.
He added that voters would hold the opposition accountable at the ballot box, as they did in previous elections. "The public clearly sees their actions and intentions regarding the country. The Georgian people evaluate everything well, and just as they passed judgment on them in the parliamentary elections, they will do the same in the local elections," Kaladze said.
