Ivanishvili “again cheated” Saakashvili
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, October 13
Georgia’s Parliament Speaker and leader of the Republican party, David Usupashvili, believes that the founder of the current ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, ex-Prime Minister Bidzina Ivansihvili, “once again” cheated and misled ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Usupashvili says Ivanishvili triggered aggression in Saakashvili, now the Odessa Governor (Ukrine) who was revoked of Georgian citizenship, by saying that the party established by Saakashvili will not get 5% of the votes in the October 8 Parliamentary Elections.
Usupashvili continued on to say that Saakashvili “was provoked” into becoming involved in the campaigning for the UNM.
“Saakashvili’s active involvement in the pre-election campaigning encouraged many to vote for the ruling party, as the people were afraid of Saakashvili’s returning to power,” Usupashvili said.
Usupashvili also stated that there was a controversy inside the UNM and certain disagreement took place between UNM member Giga Bokeria and Saakashvili.
Saakashvili wanted the UNM to boycott the election results and not to enter Parliament, while Bokeria wanted the party to enter the legislative body.
After the meeting of the UNM political council late on October 11, 50 party members out of 60 said the UNM had to enter the legislative body.
“If the UNM distances itself from Saakashvili, it will be good for the party and the state politics,” Usupashvili said.
The Republican Party was a member of the Georgian Dream coalition established by Ivanishvili, which defeated the nine-year rule of the United National Movement in the 2012 Parliamentary Elections.
Prior to this year's parliamentary race, the Georgian Dream coalition split, which resulted that the Republicans had to run separately in the elections.
However, the Republicans could not overcome the 5% threshold and did not qualify to gain seats in the legislative body.
