Three More Georgian Dream Local Councilors Quit Post, Party

Gia Chelishvili and Imeda Mgebrishvili, Deputy Chairmen of GD factions in Aspindza and Adigeni councils, respectively, and Levan Kochloshvili, Chairman of Telavi local council’s Commission on Spatial and Territorial Planning, Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, announced their resignation from the party on July 13. Like in preceding five cases, the councilors said thy left to be able to “speak the truth” more freely.

“It is very difficult to silently watch how the European idea is being damaged in Georgia by the United National Movement and their foreign lobbyists,” Chelishvili wrote in a Facebook post today. “Today more than ever, our country and society need to speak the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.”

Chelishvili noted that today Europeans that are the face of Europe are the “protectors of the evil United National Movement – [MEPs Rasa] Juknevičienė, [Andrius] Kubilius, [Markéta] Gregorová and [Anna] Fotyga.” He emphasized that protecting the UNM and aiding them in seizing power “means being complicit in all the misfortunes that the [UNM] were involved in over the [past] years.”

Echoing his colleague in his Facebook post, Imeda Mgebrishvili stated, “it is necessary to speak freely about everything that is happening, our society must get an answer to the questions that exist.”

He added that he joins the people “who are ready to speak more openly and protect the peace, stability, and this country’s European future.”

The desire to “speak freely” was also cited by Kochloshvili in his resignation post. “[I want] to join the ranks of people who are going to fight for the truth, help their country in such a difficult moment and prevent all attempts that could leave Georgia to war,” Kochloshvili wrote on Facebook.

Politicians from the ranks of the Georgian Dream party began announcing resignations from the party on June 28. The process began after the three MPs, Sozar Subari, Dimitri Khundadze, and Mikheil Kavelashvili resigned and declared that EU candidacy was a “mousetrap” for the Georgian government. They were joined by five local councilors who resigned on July 11 citing a similar motive behind their decision.

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