Saakashvili initiates UNM congress

Ex-President of Georgia and ex-Governor of Odessa, Mikheil Saakashvili addressed his United National Movement party in Georgia to hold a large-scaled, thousand-people congress that would “reveal the party's unity and strength”.

Saakashvili, who is wanted on several charges in Georgia and has just quit his government post in Ukraine, made the statement via his Facebook page on November 23, congratulating the people on the 13th anniversary of the Rose Revolution, when the United National Movement overthrew former President Eduard Shevardnadze’s governance.

"My friends, today, more than ever, the United National Movement’s role is irreplaceable in the maintaining of Georgian statehood. In this situation it is particularly important as to which path will be chosen by our party - whether it becomes a body isolated from the people or becomes the leader of the people’s democratic movement,” says Saakashvili in the address.

In the letter, Saakashvili once again revealed his dissatisfaction with the decision of the United National Movement to enter Parliament despite the fact that the party, which ran Georgia between 2003-2012, gained 27 seats in the 150-member legislative body.

After last month’s elections, Saakashvili wanted the United National Movement party to boycott the elections and go to the streets, but the party majority preferred to enter Parliament.

Saakashvili’s statement once again reveals that the ex-President continues attempts to be involved in the party activities and tries to push his views so as to provoke unrest in the country, create instability undermine the attempts of the current ruling force Georgian Dream to peacefully run the country and as a result receive a chance to return in Georgia and regain back his position, privileges and power.

However, many in the party in Georgia have already stated that those leaders living abroad and those in prison should be removed from the party leadership for the United National Movement to regain the public's trust.

It will be interesting how the United National Movement will react towards the appeal, as the response will clearly define what the current party members’ attitude to Saakashvili truly is.

It is very likely that the party will again turn down Saakashvili’s appeal, as a sign that they wish to free from him.

Many ordinary supporters of UNM are frustrated because of split in the party