TBILISI, DFWatch – Giorgi Tsagareishvili, member of the Free Democrats Party, accuses the government of being engaged in a smear campaign against the opposition.

He had made this statement during a debate in parliament Thursday about tightening the rules regarding party financing.

Tsagareishvili said that the media have launched what amounts to a smear campaign lately against the Free Democrats, in which the party is accused of working for Russian interests.

According to him, the Free Democrats’ choice is a free Europe and Georgia’s integration with NATO.

“The Free Democrats admit and focus including you that 20% of our territory is occupied by Russian military forces. We admit that thousands of people are displaced from their home-lands; and now there is Russian boot is stepped in so-called South Ossetia, Akhalgori, also in so-called high-Abkhazia – Dariali Valley,” Tsagareishvili said.

According to him, such ridiculus accusations should be stopped once and for all, as should the rest of the smear campaign which the governemt is engaging in against the Free Democrats and other opposition parties via the media.

He called for the government to return to legislative work and to give an opportunity for further development for other political parties.

made this statement regarding the issue on the governmental initiative, which foresees changing rules for the political party financing.