Gachechiladze Slams Saakashvili, Patarkatsishvili’s ‘Dirty Games’
Both Mikheil Saakashvili and Badri Patarkatsishvili are “playing dirty games” in an attempt “to thwart the election and discredit free media outlets,” Levan Gachechiladze, a presidential candidate backed by the nine-party opposition coalition, said on December 27.
This was Gachechiladze’s first comprehensive statement made since covertly recorded video and audio tapes were released by the Georgian authorities, allegedly showing that tycoon and presidential candidate Patarkatsishvili was plotting a coup. The statement made at a news conference in Tbilisi on December 27 was an obvious attempt by the nine-party coalition to distance itself from Patarkatsishvili. The authorities have been claiming the bloc is cooperating with Patarkatsishvili in an effort to secure his financial backing.
“That a dirty game between Mikheil Saakashvili and Badri Patarkatsishvili is taking place is quite obvious. We demand that both of them cease this dirty game and stay within the law. I call on the international community to investigate this dirty game,” Gachechiladze said. “This is a game aimed at thwarting the election, discrediting mass media and closing Imedi TV station. This is a game aimed at putting an end to Georgia and we, the United Public Movement [the nine-party opposition coalition], will never allow this to happen. We will not allow anybody to put our country in a losing situation. We continue our struggle for January 5 [election day]. We continue our struggle to come to power. We will defend every vote; we will defend it appropriately, because the Saakashvili regime should be ended once and for all. This dirtiness should end in this country.”
He also called on supporters to gather at a rally planned for December 29 at Rike, an open area in downtown Tbilisi.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
