UNM names people it negotiates to join opposition party
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Tuesday, April 12
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party plans to update its election list and hold negotiations with people to join the party who are well-known to the public for their past and current activities.
A member of the UNM, Mikheil Matchavariani, said his party - which ruled Georgia from 2003 to 2012 - is holding negotiations with several individuals, namely the former head of the National Bank of Georgia Giorgi Kadagidze, former Ombudsman Giorgi Tughushi and political analyst Elene Khoshtaria.
Matchavariani claims the UNM plans to race for the elections independently and they are ready to fill the party with new faces.
Matchavariani unveiled some other names of possible new candidates. He said lawyer Zaza Bibilashvili, lawyer Otar Kakhidze and former UNM official Eka Tkeshelashvili might also appear in the UNM rows.
“I am not involved in the negotiation process, but they have been in progress for a long time. We want ex-First Lady Sandra Roelofs to join us as well. Her presence in the party is very important,” stated Matchavariani.
According to him, the UNM focuses on finding individuals who have experience and political responsibility.
“They should understand the burden of responsibility and follow us in the fight to the end,” he said.
When asked about Kadagidze, who was accused by members of the ruling Georgian Dream coalition of being responsible for the the national currency's depreciation and partnership with the UNM, Matchavariani said the state economic downfall was the current Government’s fault.
