UNM Chair Accuses Party Members of Using Georgian Dream-Style Tactics in Congress Dispute
By Messenger Staff
Monday, August 3, 2026
United National Movement (UNM) chair Tina Bokuchava has accused members of her party of violating internal procedures during a Political Council meeting that set the date for a party congress, saying the process was not legitimate.
Speaking to TV Pirveli, Bokuchava said she did not attend the July 30 meeting and that neither the party's deputy chairs nor several regional leaders were present. She said around 40 members took part, while the Political Council consists of 130 people, meaning the meeting lacked the required quorum.
Bokuchava said decisions made at the meeting, including setting the date for the congress and determining procedures for selecting delegates, could create serious problems for the party if they were based on an unauthorized meeting.
She accused party members of using tactics similar to those she has criticized in the ruling Georgian Dream party and said the opposition should not adopt the same practices it opposes.
"Manipulating the quorum and collecting signatures after the fact, while claiming that the quorum was made up of people who were not physically present at the meeting and joined remotely, very much resembles the methods with which Ivanishvili has been operating for the past 14 years," Bokuchava said, referring to Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.
"In the fight against the Georgian Dream, we cannot become like the Georgian Dream," she added.
Bokuchava also criticized UNM Secretary General Petre Tsiskarishvili, saying he had received instructions from former President Mikheil Saakashvili to organize the congress quickly and carry out planned changes within the party.
"I have always said and I will repeat again now that this is Misha's party, it has always been Misha's party and it will always be Misha's party," she said, referring to Saakashvili by his nickname.
Bokuchava said she would decide whether to attend the Aug. 5 congress after her concerns were addressed. She said she had spoken with Tsiskarishvili but would not participate in what she described as falsification.
The UNM Political Council meeting on July 30 set Aug. 5 as the date for the party congress, which is expected to discuss the party's future leadership and direction.
