Prime Minister and Georgian Dream politician Giorgi Gakharia dismissed Merabishvili's threats as proof that the United National Movement was a party of the past, while Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani described Merabishvili as a political hot potato. Both the United National Movement and the European Georgia party were open to receiving him back into the party, support also coming from Saakashvili. Other opposition parties, however, have rejected the possibility of Merabishvili's membership, including the Movement for United Georgia and Lelo for Georgia. In March, writing for the "Eurasian Daily Monitor", Giorgi Menabde suggested that the opposition were in fact unwilling to accept Merabishvili into their parties due to a fear he may be too controversial. Though he can run as an independent candidate for the Akhaltsikhe seat in the 2020 Georgian parliamentary election, Iosif Tsintsadze rejected the possibility of Merabishvili winning without party support.