"If someone wants to throw mud at us, that is their responsibility. We will not respond to such slander and insults with the same methods. We will neither engage in mudslinging nor follow attempts to shift others' internal conflicts and weaknesses onto us," Lelo – Strong Georgia said in response to a statement by Georgia's fifth President, Mikheil Saakashvili, who stated: "How can an opposition that is a business project win? Lelo is Badri's and Mamuka's business project, and Akhali was formed from the beginning as the Gilauri brothers' project."

According to Lelo's statement, it is sad to witness one of the creators of a free Georgia reaching the condition in which he finds himself today.

"Saakashvili's statement is nothing more than an attempt to provoke tension and confrontation within the opposition.

Neither insults nor slander can overshadow the truth. It is completely unclear by what logic a politician could describe our political activity as a 'business project,' when it was precisely Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze who set aside their many years of successful business careers, personal well-being, and their families' security in order to openly confront the government of Bidzina Ivanishvili, which serves Russian interests.

Because of their political principles, they twice refused parliamentary mandates, stood alongside Lelo members and Georgian citizens at protest rallies, and, due to their commitment to their principles, became political prisoners and experienced unjust deprivation of liberty. Despite all of this, they continue their struggle for Georgia's European future and for freeing the country from Russian influence.

As for Mr. Saakashvili, it is a fact that during his political rule, the country was handed over to pro-Russian forces, and he himself later became a prisoner of that same Russian-backed government. Furthermore, his policies repeatedly led to severe internal crises, fragmentation, and weakening of his own party, the United National Movement.

It is truly sad to see one of the architects of a free Georgia reach the state he is in today.

If someone wants to throw mud at us, that is their responsibility. We will not respond to such slander and insults in the same manner. We will neither engage in mudslinging nor follow attempts to transfer others' internal conflicts and weaknesses onto us.

We will continue our struggle with the same principles that have guided us until now, and we will bring this fight to a dignified conclusion. We will undoubtedly prevail," the statement by Lelo reads.