TBILISI, August 5 – Georgia’s parliament is preparing to release a 430-page investigative report in early September, just weeks ahead of local elections, which could serve as a pretext for banning the largest opposition party.
The document, compiled over six months by a special parliamentary commission led by Tea Tsulukiani, probed alleged abuses carried out by former government officials, dating all the way back to 2003. Its hearings primarily targeted the now-opposition United National Movement (UNM), the party of jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.
While the commission officially concludes its mandate on August 5, the report will only be made public once parliament reconvenes in early September.
Ruling party figures say the report will offer future generations “a chance to see the truth.” Opposition parties, however, consider the commission’s report an ploy to discredit and weaken government critics ahead of the October 4 local elections.
Analyst Gia Abashidze suggested to Rezonansi that the commission’s findings could serve as a basis for legal action aimed at banning UNM and possibly affiliated groups, fulfilling a long-standing Georgian Dream campaign promise.
The commission has already led to the imprisonment of several opposition leaders who refused to testify. Critics argue that the body lacks legitimacy and serves as a vehicle for political pressure and historical revisionism.
