MP Quits Ruling Party

On January 5 MP Bezhan Gunava announced that he is quitting the ruling National Movement party, citing ?intimidation by the Financial Police.?

Gunava told Rustavi 2 television that several weeks ago he expressed concern over, as he put it, the ?illegal activity of the Financial Police,? which according to Gunava was extorting money from a group of businessmen exporting various goods from Georgia.

?Following my statements, criminal charges were brought against my brother [businessman] Gocha Gunava for alleged tax evasion; but my brother is innocent,? MP Bezhan Gunava said.

Gunava also criticized the ruling National Movement party?s leadership for unilateral rule. ?A group of five people unilaterally makes all the decisions in the party,? he added.

Disagreements between Gunava and the ruling party became clear last week, after he publicly criticized Governor of Samegrelo region Gigi Ugulava and demanded his resignation. Among other things, Gunava said Ugulava was unfit for the position as he does not speak the local Mengrelian dialect. This statement led to accusations of xenophobia and particularism leveled against Gunava by some MPs and the Georgian press. President Saakashvili later backed Ugulava.