"I have deep respect for Mamuka Khazaradze — I’ve known him for years and we are friends — but his strong stance is unclear," said Iva Chkonia, a representative of the “Coalition for Change,” during Palitra News’s program “Resume,” while speaking about the upcoming local elections.

According to Chkonia, the best opportunity to bring about change through elections was in 2024, but now the situation in the country has significantly worsened.

“I think that entering elections now, after people have been protesting in the streets for so long, fighting to save the country — and after we, the four parties that passed the threshold, refused parliamentary mandates, giving up 61 seats — now should we express readiness to enter elections where maybe one or two people might make it into local government?

There hasn’t been a better moment for a change in power through elections than 2024 — when a coalition government could have been formed. The elections they held were completely rigged and stolen, and now we expect them to give in? The overall climate has deteriorated — people are intimidated, and those with opposition views are being driven out of their jobs.

What do we say to those who are imprisoned? That elections are the battlefield, so 'you stay there, and I’ll go win Tbilisi'? Okay, let’s say we win Tbilisi — how do you imagine it? If something fantastic happens and someone else becomes mayor of Tbilisi — it doesn’t matter who — they’ll be put in such conditions that they’ll either be arrested or face some kind of miracle.

I have deep respect for Mamuka Khazaradze — I’ve known him for years and we’re friends — but his firm stance is unclear,” noted Iva Chkonia.