PM: internal competition will strengthen the team

“Currently we have opponents from the former government who are unable to conduct constructive debates,” Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said at the congress of the political party Free Democrats on December 9.

The PM explained that the Georgian Dream coalition may have no serious contenders in the presidential and local self-government elections. He said the current opponents should try to change the ideology and cooperate for the development of the country. “If nothing changes the coalition will not have any serious opponents in the future elections,” he said.

Ivanishvili clearly sees the necessity of the internal competition in his team, while still keeping the union and team spirit within the coalition.

Irakli Kadagishvili was elected as the new chair of the Free Democrats at Sunday’s congress. Defense Minister Irakli Alasania resigned from the post after he became the minister. However, Alasania remains a member and one of the leaders of the party.

Alasania said the process of depolarization has started. However, he said it is important to restore justice and independent judicial system. Alasania said it is necessary to keep the promises given to the people in order to make sure GD wins the following elections. “Otherwise people will elect someone else,” he said.

Alasania thinks that if people criticize the new government is a positive fact, meaning that society is very attentive and will not tolerate lies.

While meeting with Georgian Dream MPs in Kutaisi a day earlier, PM Ivanishvili emphasized the necessity of more discipline and coordination within the coalition. “Lots of statements are being made without prior coordination and obviously some (coalition members) do not even follow my statements anymore,” Ivanishvili said, emphasising the problem of coordination between the Parliament and government.