**Opposition is “parasitizing” on popular resistance, says expert**
The opposition in Georgia is currently benefiting from the country‘s ongoing resistance to the government, but they should not try to take control of the process, a constitutional law specialist said.
Vakhushti Menabde made this comment on PalitraNews’ program “360 Degrees.” He said that the public did not trust the opposition with leadership in this resistance because they represent only themselves and their ambitions.
Menabde noted that opposition parties do not have a strong support base, which means they do not defend any particular group’s interests. As a result, he said, they are more focused on promoting their own agendas rather than working for the people.
**Opposition missed opportunity to act earlier**
The expert said that between elections and November 28, when the Prime Minister announced that Georgia was halting its EU integration process, the opposition had a chance to take action. However, they failed to do so because the public did not follow them.
After that, a spontaneous resistance against the government’s policies emerged in Georgian society. Menabde said that at this point, the opposition realized their role in the process was either to participate as ordinary citizens or to observe from the sidelines.
**Opposition should stay quiet**
Menabde believes that the smartest thing the opposition can do now is to remain quiet and let the resistance succeed. If they try to take control of the process, he said, they will ruin everything and drag everyone down with them.
However, the expert noted that a few times, the opposition couldn’t resist commenting on the situation, despite their best efforts to stay silent.
**Government’s actions influenced by perception of opponents**
Menabde also commented on the government’s decisions, saying that they were influenced by their perception of their opponents. He stated that the government saw the opposition as a weak and ineffective force, which is why they dared to take so many risks.
The expert added that even with a weak opposition, the government was unable to achieve an honest victory in elections. Now, he said, the government’s strict measures show that they are struggling to handle the existing resistance.
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