Archil Gorduladze: Lelo has gone so far as to deny any connection to Aleko Elisashvili—claiming he has nothing to do with them—even though they included him on their 2024 electoral list

According to Archil Gorduladze, Chairman of the Parliament’s Legal Issues Committee, Badri Japaridze—one of the leaders of the Strong Georgia – Lelo coalition—is "once again attempting to justify the terrorist act committed by Aleko Elisashvili." He further suggests that "the commission of a crime by an individual included on a political party's electoral list" does not constitute an argument or evidence for banning that party.

According to Gorduladze, there is a connection between Aleko Elisashvili’s criminal conduct and the actions of the Lelo party.

"Representatives of the Lelo party, without any basis whatsoever, characterized the outcome of the criminal case involving Aleko Elisashvili as 'fabricated charges,' 'lawlessness,' 'vengeance,' and 'political retribution,' while labeling Aleko Elisashvili himself a 'political prisoner,' 'politically persecuted individual,' 'captive of the regime,' and a 'victim of political repression.'

Today, Lelo went so far as to deny any connection to Aleko Elisashvili—asking, in effect, 'What does he have to do with us?'—even though they had included him on their 2024 electoral list. Today, Lelo did state one truth: in an attempt to justify itself, the party cited Transparency International, asserting that its reputation 'needs no explanation.' On that point, we certainly agree." The reputation of Transparency International—an organization that has fled from transparency in a foreign country—truly requires no explanation or clarification for Georgian society," stated Gorduladze.