**Georgian Leader Criticizes Government for Slow Progress**
Dimitri Shashkin, a leader of the “National Movement,” has spoken out against the government in Georgia. In an interview on “Palitra News,” he said that the country is paying the price for slow progress and bureaucracy.
Shashkin believes that the West owes Georgia a favor due to the country’s contribution to global events such as the 2008 war in Georgia, the 2014 war in Ukraine, and the 2022 war in Ukraine. He says that if Merkel hadn’t blocked the MAP (Membership Action Plan) for Georgia and Ukraine in 2008, these wars might not have happened.
**Trump Meeting Will Determine Future of Georgia**
Shashkin also mentioned a meeting planned in two weeks in the Trump administration to decide what to do in Georgia. He believes that the U.S. and Europe should take action against the pro-Russian “Georgian Dream” government.
According to Shashkin, Bidzina Ivanishvili wants to wait until June when local elections come, hoping that by then the situation will be neutralized and settled. However, Shashkin says that this is not possible as long as a pro-Russian force remains in power in Georgia.
**Government Faces Society, Not Individual Forces**
Shashkin assessed the developments in Georgia over the last few months, saying that the government doesn’t understand it’s facing society, not individual political forces. He believes that Bidzina Ivanishvili killed hope for change through elections and confronted the West and civilized world.
The government has shifted to personal insults, Shashkin said, and is trying to burn all bridges connecting Georgia to the West and destroy all relations. This divide between the government and society was evident when children from Generation Z went on the streets and actively engaged in political processes.
**Government Investigation Criticized**
Shashkin also responded to questions about an investigation launched by the prosecutor’s office, saying that such titles were “printed in the newspapers ‘Pravda’ and ‘Zarya Vostoka’ in 1982-1983.” He criticized the government for its actions against USAID.
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