Seaside birth of a new #Georgia political movement

Mamuka Khazaradze, founder of TBC Bank and the Anaklia Development Consortium, this week launched a new political movement called “Lelo” in Anaklia , a coastal down in Georgia. The movement is drawing comparisons with President Macron’s French ‘En Marche’ initiative and is tipped to have a similar momentum and cause a similar upset in the political establishment, writes Martin Banks.

The movement was launched at a seaside gathering at which a giant yellow canvas was signed, first by Khazaradze and then by all the leaders who had assembled on the beach. They affirmed their commitment to the movement and the imminent transformation of that movement into a full-blown political party.

“Today, we are presenting a new movement, which will pursue a goal oriented to teamwork, achieving purposes, love, unity, victory of Georgia,” Khazaradze said. He noted that Georgia’s western orientation should be further strengthened and that the country should strive to take a leading place in all spheres.

“Georgia has lost a lot during this period; it has lost its territories, failed to achieve economic growth; it is losing investments and what is most important, it is losing its own people, who are leaving the country,” Khazaradze said, adding that he would use his experience to create jobs, open up opportunities for people and return talented Georgians scattered across the world to their homeland.

Khazaradze also stated that he will set up a political party in the near future that “will be oriented to win the 2020 parliamentary elections.” He asserted that this party will not be looking to cooperate with other parties, but rather to run independently, without relying on famous politicians.

Khazaradze explained how the Lelo movement will work, with twelve leaders from each important sector, including medicine, education and so on.  For him, this as an important part of how Lelo will work, based on his belief that Georgia will be saved by each citizen, rather than one man in a “messiah” role. 

Khazaradze’s business partner, Badri Japaridze also addressed the audience, saying that “we should try and defeat a syndrome of the defeated. The time has come to win a victory, to unite and score Lelo,” Japaridze said. He told the media  later that the new party will be established in October.

Mamuka Khazaradze announced about his plans to set up a new public movement in July, following violent dispersal of the July 20-21 protests by riot police.

“That was a watershed, when our praiseworthy and free youth expressed consistent and sincere protest against occupation and violence,” Khazaradze said on July 7 and explained that his new movement will aim at “uniting the country and maintaining its independence and liberty”.

Lelo, the name chosen for the movement, is a reference to the traditional Georgian team game, and also means to score a try in a rugby game. Prior to announcing the name of the movement, Khazaradze read verse “O, my native land” (In Georgian: “Mshobliuro Chemo Mitsav”) by acclaimed Georgian national poet Galaktion Tabidze, that portrays Georgia as “lelo” that needs to be saved.

Using further political symbolism, the presentation of the new public movement coincided with the 112th anniversary of assassination of the prominent Georgian writer and public figure, Ilia Chavchavadze (1837-1907), a key figure of Georgian nationalism and the self-determination struggle during Tsarist Russia.

Some international observers based in Tbilisi fear that Khazardaze’s step into politics has provoked a politically motivated attack on him, leading to fraud charges relating to am 11-year old transaction being brought against him after his July political declaration. Others believe he has been targeted because Georgian Dream Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili feared that Khazaradze’s involvement in the Anaklia deep-water port would have increased Khazaradze’s influence within Georgia. 

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