"I cannot support the decision made by my teammates regarding the local self-government elections and will not take part in implementing that decision. Therefore, I have left the political council of Lelo – For a Strong Georgia," – said Ana Natsvlishvili, a member of Lelo – For a Strong Georgia.

According to her, although she disagrees with the party’s decision, she completely rejects the notion that someone from Lelo – For a Strong Georgia was “bought.”

"Friends, in life and in politics, I have always done what I believed in, what I considered right given the situation and context. Of course, I have made mistakes too, and I take full responsibility for them. But I have never done or convinced others of something I didn’t believe in myself.

Since the Russian special operation on October 26, I believe the greatest weakness of the pro-Western flank has been the failure to create a format for discussion and for making strategic and publicly accountable decisions. This initiative came from Mamuka Khazaradze, and we did everything we could to create such a format – one in which the people elected on October 26, whose legitimacy has never been questioned by anyone, would be represented.

This format could have later evolved into a broader platform for public consolidation – involving activists, other political actors, citizens – for a united fight against the regime.

This did not happen. I don't know because of whom or why. But it’s a very big problem. No unity was achieved regarding the local self-government elections. That is very unfortunate. I believe that if the above-mentioned format had been established, events would have developed differently – in every direction.

I cannot support the decision made by my teammates regarding the local self-government elections and will not take part in implementing that decision. Therefore, I have left Lelo's political council.

This was a very difficult decision for me, especially because our two leaders are in prison – they gave up the most precious thing, their freedom, in this fight. It’s also hard because I have dear friends in Lelo. But at the same time, I am accountable to the public, and today, remaining silent would not be the right thing for me to do.

I completely reject the accusations that someone was ‘bought,’ and so on. The group of people I care about deeply genuinely believes in their own approach, which is simply different from mine. I kindly ask you not to post such accusations about them on my wall.

Wherever I am, I will continue to act in support of the idea for which Lelo was created and which I joined it for – and more than that, for the idea I’ve been fighting for 20 years: an independent, European, strong, and just Georgia.

Freedom for political prisoners! Freedom for Georgia!

May God help our country at this historic crossroads!" – said Ana Natsvlishvili.

For reference: Lelo – For a Strong Georgia’s political council has already been left by Saba Buadze and Dea Metreveli. They also resigned from their party positions: Saba Buadze stepped down as head of the Tbilisi organization, and Dea Metreveli resigned as the party’s executive secretary.