Ivanishvili Accuses Western Forces of Manipulating Georgian Affairs
On April 29, in a gathering organized by the government, which transported supporters to Tbilisi, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream party, spoke passionately about Georgia's political trajectory.
Ivanishvili criticized the governance from 2004 to 2012, labeling it as controlled by a foreign-instigated revolutionary committee resulting from an NGO-driven revolution. "Georgia should be governed by individuals elected by its citizens," he asserted.
He recounted the oppressive era under Mikheil Saakashvili, dismissing the notion that the brutality of that regime was solely due to Saakashvili's character flaws. Instead, Ivanishvili claimed, "All of this was ordered by their patrons from abroad." He pointed out that these same international actors continue to depict Saakashvili and his associates as blameless, citing recent actions by the European Parliament as evidence.
Ivanishvili believed he had completed his mission after dismantling what he described as UNM’s 'bloody regime.' However, he soon realized more efforts were necessary to truly reclaim national sovereignty. "I continue that struggle to fully restore our nation’s sovereignty," he declared.
He spoke of a 'global party of war' [hinting at UNM], which, according to him, manipulates global conflicts, including Georgia's tensions with Russia and the crisis in Ukraine. Ivanishvili accused NGOs and the radical opposition of operating under the influence of these international forces. The legislation his party proposed aimed to reveal these influences.
Addressing the controversial law on foreign agents, which was withdrawn last year, Ivanishvili explained it was pulled back due to public misunderstanding and the need to maintain stability. He expressed confidence that public opinion now aligned more with government views on transparency.
Discussing the timing of controversial laws, Ivanishvili argued against waiting until post-elections to introduce NGO and LGBT laws, suggesting that delaying could leave room for more unrest instigated by NGOs. "By tabling the laws now, we are forcing them to expend the energy they were planning to use during the elections. Now, they are spending it uselessly in the streets," he stated, emphasizing the strategy to diminish opposition efforts.
Despite criticisms for not taking harsher actions against the United National Movement, Ivanishvili justified the restraint by pointing to external pressures and the tactical considerations of not overly punishing the opposition.
Concluding his address, Ivanishvili promised severe measures against what he termed the collective UNM post-election, vowing retribution for alleged crimes against the Georgian people. He pledged that by 2030, Georgia would join the European Union, envisioning a unified, sovereign, and strengthened nation, fulfilling the Georgian Dream.