This 10-year rule has reached such a point that the whole world has no doubt that the arrest of Nika Gvaramia was a political "vendetta", one of the leaders of Lelo, Davit Usupashvili, told PalitraNews TV.

According to Usupashvili, now, "when there should have been a desperate attempt to show that we had potential to be pro-European, the completely opposite thing happened".

He also talked about the chances of Georgia getting the EU membership candidate status and what the government's plan is in this regard.

"The government wants to get the status of a candidate, because if it doesn't get it, it will have a serious problem with the majority of its voters. The government is now trying to do two things at the same time - to fulfill the 12-point tasks or recommendations at a minimal level, so as to have something to talk about both inside and outside, thinking that maybe this way they can get status. At the same time, it is preparing two springboards for a possible defense - if Europe refuses us again, then the government should find the culprit - inside it will be the opposition, we, who turn out to be preventing something good from being done, and on the other hand it will be Europe," Usupashvili said.

One of the leaders of Le­lo also spoke about the possible unification of the opposition. Usupashvili noted that it is necessary to "enlarge" the parties.

When asked whether it means the dissolution of several political parties and the emergence of a new force based on them, Davit Usupashvili agreed.

"Yes, a very specific formula is offered. Le­lo doesn't say come join me. Now the future of the country depends on the electorate in the process of migrating from the Dream who has the understanding that the Dream made many good promises, but did not fulfill them. It would be right to offer a new political power to these people, not to create something out of political powerს.

If we are talking about unification, I am telling you about a model in which we should stand together in one organization, holding hands, and not in such a way that as soon as we get close to something, I will wave a yellow flag and someone will wave a blue flag and we will break up again. Today in Georgia there is a choice to consolidate solid pro-European political and not only political but also public forces. As 30 years ago, the task was to gather the anti-Soviet, anti-communist pro-independence forces and their victory, after 30 years, the task in Georgia today is the same," Usupashvili said.

source: IPN