Irakli Garibashvili Plans Nationwide Tour; Accuses President Zourabichvili of Treason
During the briefing held on February 15, Irakli Garibashvili, the new chairman of the Georgian Dream, revealed his plans to embark on a tour across ten regions within the next 100 days starting from March.
Garibashvili outlined his intentions to engage with various stakeholders during these outings, including party representatives, regional leaders, party assets, and the general population, aiming to understand their needs firsthand. The primary objective of these meetings is to prepare for the upcoming pre-election campaign and the elections themselves. Garibashvili stressed the importance of maximizing efforts and resources to achieve a strong victory and secure a constitutional majority in the next parliamentary elections. Garibashvili expressed gratitude to all party members and emphasized the significance of these gatherings in strategizing and mobilizing support for the party's electoral ambitions.
In response to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili's visit to Munich, Garibashvili accused her of committing treason, labeling her actions disgraceful for someone raised in Europe and elevated to the presidency by the party's founder. He criticized Zourabichvili for allegedly seeking personal gain rather than contributing to the state's interests, accusing her of violating the constitution and betraying the party and the nation. Garibashvili highlighted her minimal initial popularity and accused her of betraying the party's efforts in securing the candidate status for the country. The politician also condemned Zourabichvili's alleged alignment with radical positions, predicting her eventual defeat alongside the opposition.
Garibashvili dismissed the idea of the "United National Movement" to establish a "School of Voice Guards," labeling it as another absurd initiative from a “frivolous figure like Khabeishvili.”
Garibashvili also addressed Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of Lelo, calling him a "fraudulent" individual. He criticized Khazaradze for failing to deliver on the Anaklia port project and accused him of attempting to defraud the country by suing the government for $1.5 billion. Garibashvili rebuked Khazaradze's threats against the government and dismissed him as a criminal and a fraudster. He emphasized that despite his criminal past, Khazaradze's aspirations to surpass the 5% threshold in elections are baseless. Garibashvili concluded by affirming his commitment to reminding the public of Khazaradze's criminal history and defending the government against threats from individuals like him.
In Garibashvili's view, parties associated with Mikheil Saakashvili serve his political agenda, and he referred to Khazaradze and other opposition figures as mere satellites of the United National Movement. He characterized the opposition as anti-Georgian and anti-European, attributing to them the misfortunes stemming from the August War and the subsequent occupation of Georgian territories. Garibashvili accused Khazaradze of criminal activities during Saakashvili's regime, labeling him a marauder and a fraudster.
The chairman of Georgian Dream refuted claims suggesting that members of his inner circle are being interrogated in the Security Council as part of a corruption investigation. He addressed these allegations during a session at the party office while responding to journalist inquiries. Garibashvili dismissed the reports as falsehoods and demagoguery, emphasizing that they were fabricated tales intended to mislead the public. He challenged the journalists to provide specific names allegedly involved in the interrogation, such as Romeo Mikoutadze and Zhuansher Burchuladze, stating that neither he nor any of his team members had any knowledge of such events. According to Garibashvili, such claims are untrue and have no basis in reality. Notably, reports circulating in the media suggested that high-ranking officials from various agencies were summoned for questioning as part of a corruption investigation within the Security Council (SUS). However, Garibashvili vehemently denied these allegations, labeling them as unfounded rumors aimed at spreading misinformation.
Garibashvili asserted that no opposition party in Georgia operates independently and instead serves external interests rather than those of the Georgian people and the state. Garibashvili expressed his frustration, stating that none of the opposition parties in Georgia are free from external influence. He criticized the so-called "national movement" and other opposition factions for prioritizing agendas that run counter to the nation's interests. According to Garibashvili, evidence and facts support the claim that the opposition is not independent and is united in serving external interests. He pointed to the backgrounds and affiliations of prominent opposition figures such as Gvaramia, Khazaradze, Nika, and Khabeishvili, suggesting they are aligned with the agendas of external forces rather than representing the interests of the Georgian people.
Furthermore, Garibashvili dismissed the idea of a genuine opposition in the country, asserting that all opposition factions are ultimately connected to the interests of the "United National Movement" (UNM) and its agenda. He emphasized the need to confront the opposition with facts and evidence, asserting that individuals associated with the UNM have historically served as agents of its interests. According to Garibashvili, Georgia has no objective or genuine opposition, as all factions are intertwined with the UNM's agenda and objectives.