Georgian President Speaks Out Against Pro-Russian Stance of Ruling Party
The president of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, has spoken out against the pro-Russian stance of the ruling party. Despite their claims to return to Europe, the Georgian Dream has been taking steps that suggest a closer relationship with Russia.
President Zurabishvili stated in a speech at the European Parliament that there are only two sides in Georgia: the people and the repressive apparatus of the single-party government. She emphasized that the majority of Georgians want to follow the European path, with 80-90% expressing this desire in opinion polls and elections since independence.
The president pointed out that the first sign of the Georgian Dream’s Russian orientation was the Gavrilov incident in 2019, when a Russian figure was invited to become Chairman of the Georgian Parliament. This was followed by other incidents that suggested a shift away from reforms requested by the European Union.
In 2022, the Prime Minister visited a monument marking Georgia’s 1921 Russian occupation and stated that Georgia would not impose sanctions on Russia, citing national interest. The following year saw the reintroduction of Russian flights and growing rhetoric about Ukraine. In 2024, a speech by the leader of the Georgian Dream accused Western partners of provoking or prolonging the war in Ukraine.
President Zurabishvili also mentioned an undercurrent of LGBT-related rhetoric that has been used to justify anti-Western and pro-Russian policies. She emphasized that this is not what most Georgians want, but rather a narrative pushed by those in power.
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