The Gakharia for Georgia party has decided to enter Parliament. Giorgi Sharashidze, a member of the Gakharia for Georgia political council, announced at a briefing on Monday, Georgian Public Broadcaster reports.
According to Sharashidze, failing to use the platform of Parliament and municipal assemblies is not merely a mistake but a crime against the country and its people.
“A year ago, following the parliamentary elections of October 26, our political team unanimously decided to boycott Parliament. Sadly, we must acknowledge that this form of political protest failed to halt the Georgian Dream’s machinery of evil or to prevent the de facto authorities from making decisions so damaging to the country, such as suspending Georgia’s European integration process, adopting anti-democratic legislation that violates human rights, tightening the autocratic regime, perpetrating violence against peaceful citizens, stealing free and fair elections, and many other criminal, anti-national and anti-state actions.
The parliamentary boycott, which grew into a boycott of the entire political process, effectively removed the opposition from the political arena. As a result, the Georgian Dream was allowed to act very swiftly, without any resistance, and to intensify its authoritarianism, which led us to the provocations of October 4.
We blame no one but ourselves! A year ago, we failed to convince society and the political spectrum that renouncing parliamentary mandates was a mistake, and this was followed by a chain of events that has led us to today’s dire situation. But today we no longer intend to remain imprisoned by our own mistakes or to deceive ourselves with illusions!
Sadly, today, when intolerance of dissenting opinion from two radical sides has brought us to the dangerous brink of hatred and mutual confrontation, and the entire country is caught in a spiral of loathing, what we need most of all is the return of sensible, moderate and consistent politics at every level! Not using the platform of Parliament and the assemblies [sakrebulo], particularly during this difficult period, is not only a mistake but a crime against the country and its people.
The voice and dissenting opinion of Georgia’s citizens must be heard in Georgia’s Parliament! It is time to counter lies with truth, and the language of hatred and loathing with sensible, calm, moderate and consistent steps!”, Giorgi Sharashidze declared.
