Gori municipal council member quitted European Georgia

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

The member of the Gori municipal council European Georgia Zviad Sabanadze quitted the political party and made statement on November 9 about it. He said the reason of his decision was the announcement of the European Georgia to support the presidential candidate of the United National Movement Grigol Vashadze in the second round of the Presidential Elections. 

“I knew that the European Georgia had no more connection with the UNM but now everything is clear for me. For me and my friends it is inadmissible to work with the UNM and we are leaving the European Georgia. It is my and my friends’ decision,” Zviad Sabandze said and added that he has given up the mandate of the political party but will stay in the council as an independent deputy. Five more members left the Gori organization of the European Georgia. 

Representative of the European Georgia Irakli Kiknavelidze said the representatives of the Georgian Dream contact their members and offer financial benefits in exchange of quitting the EG. Kiknavelidze believes the similar bargain took place with Zviad Sabanadze, because he had financial problems. 

“Zviad Sabanadze was aware that we would support Grigol Vashadze in the second round but never protested it; moreover, he met the members of the UNM several days ago and we agreed on working together in the second round,” Kiknavelidze said.

According to the results of the 2017 Municipal Elections, EG had two members in the Gori municipal council through the proportional polls – Zviad Sabanadze and Kakha Burjanadze. The latter stays in the political party. After these changes, the fraction European Construction may fell apart in the council, which was set up by the members of the European Georgia and Movement for the Construction. 

The members of the EG left the political party in Zugdidi and Tbilisi too. They said the decision of the political party was not acceptable for them – they do not want to support the UNM candidate in the second round.