Mamuka Bakhtadze calls allegation regarding blocking Gigi Tsereteli’s candidacy “fantasy”

Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has responded to the reports, according to which, the Georgian Dream tried to block Gigi Tsereteli’s candidacy in the 2016 election of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President. According to Mamuka Bakhtadze, this information is part of fantasy.

"To tell the truth, I think it's part of a big fantasy. It is hard to believe. I think this is an unimaginable fantasy. Let's see the document, make sure if it is a valid document and then make assessments. I remember several such facts, when similar reports turned out to be elementary lies," Mamuka Bakhtadze said.

The PM’s remarks comes hours after the European Georgia faction published an agreement signed between the Georgian Dream party and one of the lobbying companies in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. As one of the leaders of the party, Giorgi Kandelaki stated at the press conference, the agreement shows that the ruling party gave instructions to the lobbying company at the expense of the state budget.

According to Giorgi Kandelaki, the ruling party, instead of solving the problem of country's occupation and other important issues, issued an order to block Gigi Tsereteli’s candidacy in the 2016 election of the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as well as to discredit the opposition and to stop criticism of the authorities.