Only Georgian opposition maintains active contacts With western institutions, UNM

Irakli Pavlenishvili, deputy secretary-general of the United National Movement opposition, on Friday claimed that Western institutions were engaging solely with the country’s opposition leaders - including those currently in detention - and not with the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Pavlenishvili also said the governing party’s communication channels with Western partners had “collapsed,” while the opposition remained in regular dialogue.

The opposition figure made the remarks against the backdrop of a visiting delegation from the Council of Europe, which is holding meetings with opposition politicians in Tbilisi.

The UNM official also referred to the case of arrested media manager Mzia Amaglobeli, saying her detention and health condition had become “one of the most troubling issues” for Western partners in their dealings with the Georgian government.

“There are concrete problems related to Amaglobeli’s health, and her imprisonment has become a major concern for Western institutions,” Pavlenishvili said.

He argued that the ruling party had become isolated from Western institutions, while opposition figures continued to meet with European representatives.

“What irritates [ruling party founder Bidzina] Ivanishvili’s group is that only the opposition maintains contacts with any Western institution, even those leaders who are in prison, not Ivanishvili and his team,” he said.