Lawsuit to Ban 'Collective National Movement' Will Soon Be Filed with Constitutional Court, Says Kobakhidze

"Around 150 young people were killed on the streets alone; demonstrative killings were directly orchestrated in the middle of the streets. Over 140 people died in prisons annually. If we take the statistics from 2010-2011, over 140 people were dying, and the average dropped to around 20 as soon as the government changed. This directly means that over 100 people were being killed in prisons every year; such a regime was established. Business racketeering directly affected tens of thousands; approximately ten thousand individuals gifted their property to the state. Regarding the media, you remember the situation better than me. They started a war, and over 400 people, soldiers and civilians, fell victim to the war they started. This regime affected countless people, even to the extent of losing their lives, not to mention their health, well-being, and nerves.

Today, we are recalling what we all remember but had simply forgotten on an emotional level. Therefore, the process that will unfold in the investigative commission is crucial.

Facts are being gathered once again, which should form the basis of the lawsuit to be filed with the Constitutional Court. It is the full intention of our team to prepare a lawsuit based on this process, which will be filed with the Constitutional Court quite soon. We believe that all grounds will be prepared for the Constitutional Court to declare the ‘collective National Movement' and its associated parties unconstitutional. This outcome may extend to all four parties considered part of the ‘collective National Movement’ – these are the National Movement itself and Ahali - what is the difference between Ahali and the United National Movement? It's one party split into two. Also, regarding Lelo, representatives of this political party were directly involved in grave actions. As for Gakharia, even today he has formed a coalition in four municipalities with the party that led the bloody regime at that time," Kobakhidze stated on the Public Broadcaster.

Georgian Dream promised voters the banning of the National Movement and several other opposition parties before the October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections.

None of the opposition parties that won mandates in the October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections recognize the election results or the legitimacy of the Georgian Dream government, and they are demanding new parliamentary elections.

On February 5, Georgian Dream established an investigative commission in the single-party parliament to study the activities of the United National Movement government and its officials from 2003-2012. The so-called investigative commission is headed by Tea Tsulukiani.

Due to their failure to appear at a session of Tsulukiani's commission, former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was arrested on May 14, and Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Girchi - More Freedom party and the Coalition For Change, was arrested on May 22.

Under the same charges, opposition politicians have been ordered to pay bail: Nika Gvaramia (30,000 GEL) and Nika Melia (50,000 GEL), leaders of the Coalition For Change; Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze (50,000 - 50,000 GEL), leaders of the Strong Georgia coalition; Givi Targamadze (10,000 GEL), a member of the United National Movement; and Giorgi Vashadze (50,000 GEL), leader of Strategy Aghmashenebeli. Khazaradze, Targamadze, and Japaridze have already paid their bail. Vashadze also intends to pay his bail by providing real estate as collateral. Gvaramia and Melia, however, have stated that they will not pay bail.