UNM MP discouraged new government's strategy

While referring to the possibility of an increase in crime, United National Movement (UNM) member Davit Darchiashvili said: "We should not forget about where we came from, as there is a real risk of returning there..."

This was presumably in response to Ivanishvili's recent request for people to be patient with regard to the possible temporary increase in crime in the country. The Prime Minister's statement did not sit well with Darchiashvili: "People are worried about crime increasing in Georgia," he said, adding that not everyone lives in “castles.”

The UNM MP said the situation in the penitentiary system before the Rose Revolution was alarming because the criminal gangs controlled the prisons instead of the prison officials. He said this all hindered the country from development while the new government has not yet defined its strategy.

Darchiashvili also discouraged the detention of state officials for the “violation of official duties.” He said on the one hand, any charge needs factual evidence but, on the other hand, everyone should be treated equally despite their political orientation.

Darchiashvili said the new government is not ready for “constructive” cooperation with its opponents. According to Darchiashvili, the PM said everyone (from the previous government) will be treated according to Georgian culture.

The UNM MP thinks that the new government is politically persecuting opponents, which he said will hinder development of democratic institutions.

Admitting that the previous government had made mistakes, Darchiashvili said it was the same Mikheil Saakashvili team that started a breakthrough in state development. He said although the Georgian Dream used to demand fairness in their election campaign, they are taking revenge on people who think differently.

Darchiashvili believes that the new government dislikes people who like the post-Rose Revolution period. The MP worried that if the new government continues like it has so far, it will be impossible to develop democracy, ensure fairness, and protect human rights and so on... “But I do not think that it is the Georgian Dream,” Darchiashvili said, meaning that people will not get what they dreamed of getting.

According to Darchiashvili, Ivanishvili’s team provided election promises to an electorate that positively reflected on their rating. However, the UNM MP finds Ivanishvili’s promises about decreasing communal expenses unrealistic.

Darchiashvili said that although the Georgian Dream made promises to double pensions and make universities free-of-charge, these promises have either been forgotten already or changed.

The MP said it is impossible to split the country’s internal and foreign affairs. He said Georgia’s partners are interested in whether the peaceful transition of power will strengthen democracy in the country or not. Darchiashvili thinks that the European Union and the US will not welcome non-democratic developments and the mass political persecution of opponents.

However, political analyst Gogi Khutsishvili recently told The Messenger that it is the UNM that has created confrontation with the current government and not vice-versa.

According to Khutsishvili, the new government needs time to fulfill its election promises, although he suggested that the population should be kept informed about the government's decisions so they not lose trust.