Political change of heart cited as reason behind sacking of deputy chair

Davit Saganelidze was dismissed from the Deputy Chair position on the Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) on June 29. Not to put his colleagues in an awkward situation by voting for or against him, Saganelidze wrote a letter for dismissal himself. However, his request was ignored; oppositionists refused to participate in the voting; they left the session in protest, while the ruling United National Movement (UNM) members unanimously voted for his removal.

Reading a pre-prepared text, Sakrebulo Chair Zaal Samadashvili, explained the motives behind Saganelidze’s dismissal. He said his deputy has experienced a “metamorphosis” as of late, changing his rhetoric, using offensive words against his colleagues and replacing “constructiveness” with “destructiveness.”

He said that though he cannot research the reasons for such an unexpected change of heart, Samadashvili said that everything is obvious. “He has found better conditions for himself,” referring to Saganelidze’s decision to join the Georgian Dream political coalition. Trust– which is an important precondition for cooperation has been lost.

But Saganelidze denied these accusations, highlighting that for him morality is the main value in politics. When he was elected as the Sakrebulo Deputy two-months ago, Saganelidze was not affiliated with any political team. He replaced Our Georgia – Free Democrats member Zurab Abashidze, who connected his removal to his cooperation with Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream.

Zurab Abashidze spoke of a “political chase” within the Sakrebulo. He said it was clear that Sakrebulo’s decision was caused by Saganelidze’s cooperation with Ivanishvili. Abashidze raised the possibility of abolishing the position of deputy chairman, pointing out that it has become the subject of “manipulation," he said.

Sakrebulo member oppositionist Natela Machavariani could not remember any assault from Saganelidze during their cooperation in Sakrebulo. “That’s not the argument,” she said, confident that the motive behind Saganelidze’s removal was his connection with the Georgian Dream.

Davit Saganelidze joined the Georgian Dream in late May and so Sakrebulo’s decision was not unexpected for him. He said from the first day when he announced his cooperation with the Georgian Dream, his colleagues from the UNM said that he would have to leave his position. “They did not have an opportunity [to dismiss] me earlier because this is the first council session we have had since I joined the Georgian Dream,” he told The Messenger.

Saganelidze supposed that his colleagues had received the “order” from their political leaders but could not openly connect the decision with the Georgian Dream. Citing the words of Samadashvili, Saganelidze said he really prefers being the part of the Georgian Dream working to create a better future for Georgia rather than sit in a large cabinet, have a driver and a high salary.

The position of a deputy chair of Sakrebulo is now vacant. Saganelidze says it has an oppositional quota however, but he doubts that the UNM would “create” an oppositionist from their own team.