“I would not be surprised by any statement from this government that aims to destroy the opposition,” - Salome Samadashvili, one of the leaders of Strong Georgia – Lelo, said during PalitraNews’ program 360 Degrees, when asked whether Georgian Dream might use Aleko Elisashvili’s case to liquidate “Lelo” as a political party.

According to Samadashvili, Georgian Dream has received an instruction from Russia to eliminate all political and civic actors in Georgia in the near future.

“There was no theoretical crime committed by Elisashvili when Georgian Dream added Lelo to the list of parties to be banned. Let me remind you: a constitutional lawsuit has already been submitted to the court, including a request to ban Lelo. Therefore, this regime needs no formal grounds to fight for the destruction of Georgia’s democratic, pro-European political forces. They have received an order from Russia to destroy, in the nearest future, every political and social actor who still defends Georgia’s interests today. I assume they could additionally use this case.

When you are a citizen of a country where the ruling political force may use an unknown chemical substance, poison people, then make contradictory statements about whether such substances were used - in a country where people are criminally prosecuted for demonstrating in the streets - you must be prepared for anything. As soon as the system needs to destroy you, it will do everything in its power to destroy you,” Samadashvili said.