Giorgi Butikashvili said that Georgian Dream has become "comical," with Mamuka Mdinaradze serving as a prime example, as he is simply moved from one government position to another.

Speaking on Palitranews' program Free Studio, Butikashvili commented on the government's planned restructuring, under which the Ministry of Regional Development will be abolished and replaced by the position of State Minister for Regional Policy, to which Mdinaradze is expected to be appointed.

According to Butikashvili, the ruling party attempts to project strength by targeting opposition leaders, but in reality it has become "weakened and comical," with even the prime minister unable to make decisions independently.

The opposition politician argued that Georgian Dream remains in power solely because of Bidzina Ivanishvili, while the party faces a severe shortage of personnel. He also suggested that it is possible Mamuka Mdinaradze took actions that were either not coordinated with Ivanishvili or failed to deliver what he had promised him.

"These decisions portray Georgian Dream as an exhausted force that remains in power only because of Bidzina Ivanishvili, while trying to demonstrate strength by acting against political leaders in the streets. Georgian Dream has become comical, and that is reflected in its day-to-day operations. Mdinaradze is a perfect example - they keep moving him from one position to another because they have no one to replace him. They don't even have new faces anymore; they keep recycling old cadres simply because Bidzina Ivanishvili trusts them. No new people are brought in because he doesn't trust anyone new.

Mdinaradze created the so-called 'scroll-and-screenshot agency,' which did not prove as successful as he had hoped. Before that, he was removed from his position at the State Security Service after disagreements arose between him and Bidzina. He cannot get the job done, and no one in Georgian Dream can, because everything depends on whether Bidzina is satisfied. The ordinary members of Georgian Dream change their behavior and positions according to Bidzina's whims. They are not independent political actors. We all know that Irakli Kobakhidze does not make major decisions on his own - they are coordinated with Bidzina, and everything has to be approved by him. It is also possible that Mdinaradze took steps that were not agreed with Bidzina or failed to achieve what he had promised, and that is why his role has diminished."

Butikashvili also said that a stronger Kobakhidze-Mdinaradze tandem could pose a risk to Ivanishvili, but removing Kobakhidze from power would not be easy, so Ivanishvili instead relies on a "divide and rule" strategy.

"Removing or replacing Kobakhidze is not that simple for Ivanishvili. He needs a capable executor. Without one, it will be difficult for him to maintain power. Once you've already imprisoned one effective executor, imprisoning another, removing him, or transferring him elsewhere is not so easy. He does not have a circle of people he fully trusts. He prefers experienced but controllable officials. A stronger Kobakhidze-Mdinaradze tandem could become a threat to Ivanishvili, but a decentralized and fragmented system - where everyone is focused on keeping or increasing Bidzina Ivanishvili's trust - creates internal rivalry and conflict. 'Divide and rule,' something Russia has used effectively in the region, is exactly what Bidzina is doing because that's the only method he has learned."

In addition to criticizing the ruling party, Butikashvili also commented on a recent courtroom statement by Georgia's third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, in which Saakashvili said:

"They are trying to drag into the train of Ivanishvili's handpicked, completely meaningless lawyer, someone named Kipiani, those opposition figures who previously joined forces with the Gilauris, claiming there's money here too."

Butikashvili said it was unfortunate that Saakashvili continues to behave this way, arguing that the former president has difficulty accepting that he is now one of several opposition leaders rather than the sole leader.

"It is very unfortunate how Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili is behaving. I don't even know how many posts he has now dedicated to Nika Gvaramia, indirectly to Nika Melia, and now to the coalition as a whole. He, more than anyone else, should understand the slogan of his own party - 'Strength in Unity' - and what it truly means. No existing opposition party can defeat Ivanishvili's regime on its own, and he knows that very well.

What does Saakashvili achieve with statements like these? Do they strengthen opposition unity or weaken it? If they weaken it, then what is the objective other than discrediting parties that are consistently opposing the government? How can the Gilauris be associated with Ivanishvili's money when all four leaders of the coalition are in prison? What logic is there in that, other than the fact that Mikheil Saakashvili cannot accept that he is also just one of the opposition's leaders? For him, everything begins with the idea that if the opposition is not united around him, then that unity cannot be complete. That is simply how he views it."