Saakashvili Unveils Reform Plan for UNM With New Leadership and Modernization Drive
On June 10, Mikheil Saakashvili, the third President of Georgia, stated that he is planning "radical changes" within the United National Movement (UNM), adding that journalist Nanuka Zhorzholiani and her team will join the party’s reform process. Saakashvili said that Zhorzholiani "has never betrayed an idea" and emphasized that the UNM requires fundamental renewal. He noted that the party, which he said created the institutions of the Georgian state, brings together "thousands of passionate, intelligent, patriotic Georgians," adding that many people have devoted significant parts of their lives to it.
He stressed that the aim of the reform is to restore what he described as the party’s original popular character, arguing that it should represent "a union of all Georgians" rather than a narrow elite group. Saakashvili also said that, with himself and other leaders currently in prison, the party needs revitalization and activation. According to Saakashvili, the decision to involve Zhorzholiani and her team was agreed upon as part of the reform process. He stated that she would have his full trust and mandate, together with party members and chairwoman Tika Bokuchava, to implement the planned changes.
He further called for the party to open up to new members, while maintaining respect for experienced figures. Saakashvili also highlighted the need for organizational modernization, including decentralization, adoption of new technologies, and the creation of a modern fundraising system. He added that, alongside internal reforms, the party should maintain its commitment to what he described as loyalty and idealism, stating: "We are servants of truth!" Saakashvili also linked the political situation to broader international developments, referring to events in Ukraine and claiming shifts in geopolitical dynamics involving Russia, Europe, and the United States. He concluded by stating that in future free elections, both the Georgian people and a renewed United National Movement would achieve victory.