People Having Left Georgian Dream for Burjanadze’s Political Party Complain about Oppression

Nino Mshvidobadze, Guria

Former head of Lanchkhuti office of the Nationals and currently representative of the local office of the political party Burjanadze – Democrats Gia Pirtskhalaishvili told humanrights.ge that leaders of Georgian Dream’s local office summon people, who intended to join Burjanadze-Democrats, to their election office and district administration and suggest refraining from making decision.

“I address to those people to remind that they will no longer continue working with the methods of old government. They will not scare and compel anybody to make decisions which they want. I want to tell everybody, who has decided to join our party, not to be afraid of those nasty methods and protect their own principles,” Pirtskhalaishvili said.

We checked the information about oppression on public servants joining Burjanadze’s party with the Lanchkhuti district deputy governor Vakhtang Zenaishvili who said it was absolute false.

“Name me at least one public servant, who left Coalition because of created threat. It did not happen in fact. Public servant is free in choice – he/she can be member of Georgian Dream, Democratic Georgia, People’s Assembly or Burjanadze’s party. We do not punish anybody for different opinion,” deputy governor said.

Zenaishvili said that if public servant officially declares that he/she joined Burjanadze’s party or HQ, she/he will face problems in the work. Despite this statement of the deputy governor, some people, who have joined Burjanadze’s party, are public servants and they avoid speaking about their decision publicly.