Lelo - Strong Georgia will participate in the local elections scheduled for October 4. The coalition announced its "final decision" today, July 5, at a briefing.
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According to Irakli Kupradze, Secretary-General of Lelo, October 4 represents a fight against the de facto government and an individual protest by every citizen. However, Saba Buadze considers the coalition's decision a "big mistake." Consequently, he resigned from his position as chairman of Lelo's Tbilisi organization and left the political council. Buadze stated that he will remain an ordinary member of the party until Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze are released from prison.
Irakli Kupradze stated at today's briefing:
"Unfortunately, the so-called president of Georgia is a clown! Yesterday's mercantile offer by Ivanishvili's puppet was a KGB and State Security Service-planned sabotage against Strong Georgia!
Today's event was planned several days ago. Regional leaders of the party were informed and invited to Tbilisi, an announcement was sent to the media, and appropriate measures were taken so that we could voice the party's final decision!
Precisely to hinder us, precisely because Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream are afraid of pro-Western opposition's involvement in this struggle, Ivanishvili's president staged the masquerade we witnessed yesterday!
All in vain, Strong Georgia has its plan, Strong Georgia has its path, which serves the interests of the Georgian people, the citizens of Georgia, and no one can divert us from this path, especially Georgian Dream, the KGB, the State Security Service, and Ivanishvili's puppet president!
The only way we have today against Ivanishvili's Russian-oligarchic regime is struggle! Struggle in every possible direction and on every possible field!
Struggle in the streets - with rallies, protests, disobedience!
Struggle in the international arena - with non-recognition, sanctions, isolation!
Struggle in the elections - by creating 3,000 new protest centers, creating new centers of confrontation, and mobilizing new energy for protest!
Protecting the interests of every citizen of Georgia and giving everyone the right to express protest! This is our obligation and task as politicians and political parties!
Today, the Strong Georgia coalition is making its announcement! Today, the Strong Georgia coalition officially and declaredly begins the fight for every citizen of Georgia, for the rights of every person, for the future of every young person, and for the welfare of every elderly person – we are entering the struggle. We are entering another confrontation against dictatorship and the Russian regime!
Here, I want to address the pro-Western opposition, we have a common goal – to end this regime. We respect the choice of all opposition parties. However, we choose to fight on one additional front. Most importantly, pro-European opposition parties have one goal: to defeat the regime.
We have chosen different strategies. We, Strong Georgia, are ready for full involvement and participation, just as we have been totally and with full resources involved in protests and street activist resistance so far. Our fight and protest will intensify!
We are ready and offer the pro-Western opposition to strengthen each other in our struggles, we are ready for unity with the pro-Western opposition, and we are ready for coalition work!
It is a shame to identify these elections as local elections! October 4 is a fight in de facto elections against the de facto government; it is the individual protest and verdict of every citizen of Georgia against the regime! Our struggle against the regime must be won jointly."
Yesterday, July 4, Mikheil Kavelashvili, the Georgian Dream president, promised pardons to arrested opposition politicians if they apply for it and "confirm" their desire to participate in the local elections. Irakli Kupradze, Secretary-General of Lelo, immediately called Kavelashvili's statement a "pathetic attempt to trade with the freedom of political leaders" and said they would not engage in this trade with the Russian regime.
Eight pro-Western opposition parties have refused to participate in the elections: Freedom Square, European Georgia, United National Movement, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Ahali, Girchi - More Freedom, Droa, and Federalists. According to their joint statement, they will do everything to accelerate the "end of the undemocratic, oligarchic system" through "principled, uncompromising struggle." The party Gakharia - For Georgia also distances itself from the election boycott.
