Levan Khabeishvili: I address “Lelo”: you can't be on both sides — you have to decide. Either you are on Ivanishvili’s side and participate in his elections, or you stand with the Georgian people

You can't be on both sides — you have to choose: either you're on Ivanishvili's side and take part in his elections, or you're with the Georgian people — you can't have it both ways. This is how Levan Khabeishvili, Chair of the Political Council of the United National Movement, addresses the party “Lelo – Strong Georgia.”

According to Levan Khabeishvili, the only path to defeating Ivanishvili is through unity, street protest, and that participating in elections would be a betrayal of prisoners of conscience.

“I address the party ‘Lelo’ — you can’t be on both sides. You have a decision to make: either you are on Ivanishvili’s side and participate in his elections — meaning you stand with him — or you are with the Georgian people. There is no other configuration possible; trying to play both sides would be a betrayal of the Georgian people. And even if politicians say nothing, the people will not forgive you. So, the choice is simple. Even though you've decided to participate in the elections, I still hold out hope that you will change your position, because there aren’t two options — there is only one: the path of boycott and protest. We must strengthen the street protests. We will defeat Ivanishvili only through powerful protests in the streets — there is no other way. That’s why you’ll need to make a firm decision.

As things stand, unfortunately, it looks like you are preparing to set up camp on the other side, which will be very damaging for you — but I still hope you won’t end up on Bidzina’s side. Taking part in these elections would be a betrayal of the prisoners of conscience whom Ivanishvili has unjustly locked up,” said Levan Khabeishvili, in a statement released by the party’s press office.