Republicans prompted to leave the Coalition
The Kviris Palitra newspaper sat down with Republican Levan Berdzenishvili to find out why the Republican Party has recently harshly criticized the Georgian Dream Coalition.
- We have kept the Georgian Dream Coalition in the loop; we informed them two months before the Republican Party actually published an open letter about its cooperation with the Coalition. As you know, this body is not a one-party system whose members hold the same ideas.
It’s true that the Republicans have shown more radical positions than other parties; however, this does not mean that representatives of other parties hold identical views. Nothing is surprising about this, since the coalition is a made up of different parties, the members of which hold different worldviews.
- Why have you realized this only after two years in power? Why did you refuse to be more critical earlier?
- We had to deal with more important issues than this. As you know, first we went through the cohabitation period, while later we completed the landmark pact with the EU. Members of the Government cannot take one another to task when the country is entering such a paramount phase of its history, which is why we held back from publicly criticizing our colleagues. Clearly though, the Coalition has always been a chaotic mix of voices and its members have always held different views.
- Reports go that the coalition members clashed because of money.
- I have repeatedly heard this remark; however, I have no idea what money you are talking about. Where is the money to scramble for? I swear that this issue has never been raised within the coalition. How can the Republican Party appropriate money? It’s a travesty!
- You have taken a million USD from the state, have you not?
- This is completely different since that money was legitimate. The coalition cannot be a one-party system. Being a member of the team does not mean that you are a member of the mob.
I am not gullible to the point of not knowing that the Republican Party’s departure from the Coalition will suit many. They have already hinted at us to go but do you know how we would respond to such a hint? You go! We will decide when to go by ourselves!
- Who showed you to the door?
- If I wanted to name specific people I would have done this long ago. Today’s coalition is better that yesterday’s.
It’s sufficient to say that the Republican Party was not authorized to dismiss Chkenkeli or Jankarashvili. However, Bidzina Ivanishvili, who saw their incompetence, dealt with this problem and we are immensely thankful to him for this.
- Do you think Bidzina Ivanishvili took your critical remarks into account?
- This man just noticed the problem and tackled it. That’s it.
- Chkenkeli brothers and Jankarashvili were considered Irakli Gharibashvili’s team members. Can we conclude that by going through that initiative you fought against him?
- I don’t think so; however, PM’s aptitude for adequately dealing with such issues speaks well of him.
- Reports fly that in order to empower the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili urged Davit Usupashvili to abandon the Republican Party.
- You know, despite the fact that I am a member the Republican Party’s founding congress, I cannot help saying that Davit Usupashvili is a more true-blue republican than I. Asking him to change allegiance is like asking a football player to exchange a spot at “Real Madrid” for Kutaisi’s “Torpedo”. I would understand if he was offered to join one of the European parties but…
- Is Georgian Dream not a European party?
- The Georgian Dream party is being formed now. It has to come a long way before it is remolded as a European party. This is a really long-term prospect.
