Opposition figure urges Georgia’s new interior minister to distance himself from ruling party

Paata Burculadze, leader of the Rustaveli Avenue movement, has called on Georgia’s new Interior Minister, Geka Geladze to remind the example of his predecessor Vakhtang Gomelauri and reconsider his ties with the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Burculadze criticised the previous minister, saying he had been “ruined” by ruling party founder and its honorary chair Bidzina Ivanishvili and faced international sanctions as a result. He warned the new minister against making similar mistakes.

“Mr Geka, take note of what happened to your predecessor. If you want to avoid the same fate – being blacklisted in Europe and facing sanctions – you should act now and separate yourself from the Georgian Dream,” Burculadze said.

He framed the 4 October rally in Tbilisi as a “decisive moment” for the opposition, claiming it would mark a significant shift in public sentiment. “We are mobilised, we know how to act, and we will take control of the government, because we do not recognise the current authorities. These are self-appointed rulers,” he added.