I am against Nika Melia’s campaign of cursing the party, but I was and am against Melia’s expulsion from the United National Movement [UNM], Giorgi Baramidze, one of the leaders of the party, writes on his Facebook page.

“My UNM colleagues and friends (probably also the media) will be interested in what is my position on the statement made by the chairman of the UNM regarding Nika Melia on the air of Formula TV. Most people saw it as a decision to expel him, although it was not explicitly stated that way.

I still want to publicly state my position once again, which I have stated many times on various airs. I categorically don’t like and am against Nika Melia’s campaign of cursing the party, but I was and am against Melia’s expulsion from the UNM. According to the party’s charter, the chairman of the UNM has the authority to expel a member, although he does not think that there is a political expediency of such a move.

In general, differences of opinion are not alien to the civilized party democracy and to the UNM, there were often times when I did not agree with the decisions of the chairman or the party as a whole (for example, on entering the Parliament), but of course, I always respected the opinion of the majority. It is exactly the same now, and I say it publicly.

I was and will be a member of Mikheil Saakashvili’s team and I intend to fight with him. UNM is Misha’s team. At the same time, the UNM has a legitimately elected Chairman, a political council, a Secretary General and a secretariat.

If my disagreement with the chairman of the party on this matter is considered incompatible with my UNM political secretariat, I am ready to appeal to the Cchairman and the Secretary General to resign from my position. Obviously, according to the charter, this is also their authority to decide. If they make that decision, I’ll take it easy. Moreover, if it becomes necessary, I will also leave the political council and be an ordinary member of the UNM, and as long as Misha is the leader of the UNM, I will be by Misha’s side, in Misha’s team”, - writes Giorgi Baramidze.