Chairwoman of the United National Movement, Tina Bokuchava, has responded to ongoing developments within the party, stating that the party does not need an external audit to recognize the serious challenges it faces.

According to Bokuchava, the party has survived despite the imprisonment of Mikheil Saakashvili, Levan Khabeishvili, and Irakli Nadiradze, the lack of financial resources, and constant threats of being dismantled.

“Questions have arisen regarding whether President Saakashvili was aware of the decision for the UNM to join the ‘Opposition Alliance.’ Naturally, he was aware, and the issue was discussed with him in considerable detail. In fact, I was opposed to joining the alliance and shared that view with him.

Why? Because I believe that the Victory Democratic Front is a broad socio-political coalition that confronts the regime together during elections - united against a single opponent. The alliance met neither of those criteria.

President Saakashvili, however, believed that the UNM would become the target of attacks and that he personally would be blamed for undermining opposition unity. Therefore, I agreed with his decision that the UNM should join the ‘Opposition Alliance.’

I also believed that demonstratively leaving the alliance just two or three months after joining it would have been inconsistent, and I shared President Saakashvili’s public position that the United National Movement had no intention of making such a demarche. I do not believe it is justified to artificially revive this issue now. If anything is disconnected from people and their real problems, it is precisely this discussion,” Bokuchava wrote.

Addressing internal party matters, she said:

“The UNM does not need an external audit to understand that it faces serious challenges. Despite the imprisonment of President Saakashvili, Political Council Chairman Levan Khabeishvili, and the backbone of the Tbilisi organization, Irakli Nadiradze; despite having virtually no financial resources and facing constant threats of abolition - we survived. They could not abolish us, and they could not erase us.

This is first and foremost the achievement of our steadfast supporters, regional and local leaders, and party organizations. At the same time, it is also significantly the result of international efforts in which the UNM’s foreign affairs team invests substantial resources.

We must overcome these challenges through an open, inclusive, sincere, and democratic internal party discussion, involving everyone - from the party’s oldest and most distinguished members to those who have only recently joined us.

Only such a process will lead us to decisions that are justified by political pragmatism and reinforced by human morality.

We will achieve victory with dignity - together - for Georgia,” Bokuchava wrote on social media.