Former Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia has posted a photo taken at the grave of the country’s first President Zviad Gamsakhurdia earlier today and stated that ‘we must end polarisation and work towards the building of a successful state.’ 

Gakharia’s post came on the 30th anniversary of the referendum which led to Georgia’s independence from Soviet Union. 

The day was the milestone in Georgia’s modern history. It’s noteworthy that the whole population of the country, including our citizens currently living in the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions also participated in the referendum. Independent Georgia was their choice as well and we must remember that the regions are now occupied by Russia,” Gakharia said. 
He stated that the recent failure of the EU-mediated talks between Georgian political parties ‘once again showed that radicalism and polarisation are still the factors which hamper the building of a modern Georgian state.’ 

Gakharia resigned on February 18, 2021, saying that the step was connected with the upcoming arrest of the opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia.

 Gakharia said that Melia, who refused to post bail, should be arrested according to the law. 

However, he stated that amid the political tension the arrest would spark further complications. 

Melia was arrested on February 23, shortly after the parliament approved Irakli Garibashvili as the country’s new PM and opposition took to the street, which was followed by the EU-mediation efforts to help the parties come to an agreement on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of opposition figures. 

On March 22 Gakharia said that ‘I have no plans to leave the country or politics.’

source: AGENDA