Georgian Parliament official accuses opposition of acting against national interests

Rati Ionatamishvili, the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights Protection and Civil Integration, on Wednesday accused Georgia’s opposition groups of acting on instructions from external forces, claiming their activities were directed against the country’s statehood and national interests.

Speaking to Imedi TV, Ionatamishvili alleged that opposition groups were receiving directives from outside actors and said those directives were consistently aimed at undermining Georgia’s statehood and national interests.

“We know that this is not a genuine opposition and that these are not representatives of political parties; they are agent groups. Others give them instructions, and those instructions are always directed against our country’s statehood and national interests. There are many examples of this. If we look at recent developments, they commissioned a survey from the IRI themselves and then concealed its results. Not long ago, they were hiding from their own voters in the bushes, and now they no longer have any voters left and are hiding from opinion polls”, he said.

Ionatamishvili also criticised opposition representatives over their public activities and relationship with supporters.

“Society has become fully aware of what the opposition represents, what interests it has, and whose interests it serves. Georgia’s importance on the global geopolitical map is increasing day by day, and strengthening that role remains our goal”, he continued.

The ruling party official further argued that responsibility for maintaining security and stability rested primarily with the elected Government and Georgian society, rather than with opposition groups.

“For us, what matters is how successfully we meet the expectations society has placed in us. The primary responsibility for security and stability in the country lies with the elected Government and the people. The security and stability of our country will never depend on these agent groups. The guarantee of Georgia’s stability and security is our society and the Government elected by the people, first and foremost in the persons of Bidzina Ivanishvili and Irakli Kobakhidze”, Ionatamishvili concluded.