Paper Speculates on Okruashvili’s Plans to Set up Opposition Party

Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili will set up a political party and become one of the leaders of the opposition in the near future, the Georgian daily Rezonansi reported on April 24.  

Okruashvili’s return to politics, the paper said, has been confirmed by MP Valerie Gelbakhiani, who said that a presentation of Okruashvili’s new party would be held in September.

“As far as I know, Okruashvili has become very active. He holds meetings with particular individuals and politicians. So, he will become one of the leaders of the opposition,” Rezonansi quoted Gelbakhiani as saying. He also added that other members of the ruling majority may also join him.

The paper also speculated that the former leader of the opposition Conservative Party and ex-lawmaker, Koba Davitashvili, who recently set up a new political party called the People’s Party, may become Okruashvili’s ally. However, Davitashvili himself rejected any possible alliance with Okruashvili.

Rezonansi quoted other opposition figures and commentators as saying that Okruashvili still enjoyed high ratings among the public. However, they said that the authorities would use compromising material against Okruashvili if he joined the opposition. In particular, a financial audit, conducted by the Financial Police after Okruashvili quit his position, has apparently uncovered financial irregularities.

“The authorities can use this against Okruashvili at any time and jail him… Therefore, he may act from the shadow and finance any opposition party,” Manana Nachkebia of the opposition New Rights party told Rezonansi.

However, there is speculation that Okruashvili, who served as the Prosecutor General and the Interior Minister, might have some compromising material on majority politicians.     

“It is beyond doubt that he has such material and he is pinning his hopes on them, because otherwise, he would not risk re-entering politics,” Paata Zakareishvili of the opposition Republican party said.

Okruashvili left the government last November, but said he would return to active politics.
 

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