TBILISI, September 1 – Two of Georgia’s opposition parties stepped up their campaigning efforts Monday, accusing the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) government of neglecting basic needs in the capital while spending lavishly on prestige projects.
At a rally in Mtatsminda district, Aleko Elisashvili, running for deputy mayor for the joint ticket of Lelo and For Georgia, told supporters that too many residents still live in crumbling buildings left damaged since the 2002 earthquake. He argued that billions go to stadiums and luxury perks while ordinary citizens worry their homes might collapse in the next storm or tremor. “This wonderful city deserves not to be afraid of rain, earthquakes, or buildings falling on your head,” he said, calling for funds to be redistributed into housing safety and urban renewal.
Irakli Kupradze, the joint Lelo and For Georgia candidate for mayor, framed the October 4 vote as a direct fight against what he called a “Russian regime” led by Georgian Dream’s founder Bidzina Ivanishvili. Kupradze vowed the opposition would not halt its campaign, even if faced with legal bans or other obstacles, declaring, “Tbilisi must be taken back.” He presented lawyer and academic Lana Galdava as the coalition’s majoritarian candidate for the city’s historic district, Mtatsminda.
