PM says upcoming elections “decisive referendum” where “love for country, respect for Church, independence” will definitely triumph

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday said the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26 were a “decisive referendum”, and further added that “love for the country, respect for the Church and the independence of Georgia will definitely triumph in this referendum”.

In his speech at a campaign meeting in the country’s southwestern city of Akhaltsikhe, Kobakhidze noted that the upcoming elections were a “decisive referendum”, with war and peace, attempts at moral decay of society and traditional values, the dark past and bright future of Georgia being “at stake”.

“Peace, traditional values ​​and the bright future of our country will definitely triumph on October 26”, Kobakhidze told local citizens.

The Prime Minister further addressed the domestic “radical” opposition and their protectors’ claims that the country’s European future depended on the collective United National Movement opposition’s return to power.

“In their opinion, Georgia will have a European future only if authoritarianism, murders and tortures, overcrowded prisons, business racketeering, and seizures of TV stations return to the country. In their opinion, Georgia will have a European future only if war and destruction return to the country. It should be emphasised once again that those who equate authoritarianism, murder, torture, business racketeering, takeover of TV stations, war, and the collective United National Movement opposition with Europe have nothing in common with true European values”, the PM continued.

Kobakhidze claimed that the domestic radical opposition’s sole objective was to carry out “external orders” in order to destabilise the country, turn Georgia into a second front amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, and push the people back into a “dark past”.

“The Georgian public will not allow this under any circumstances! On October 26, the Georgian public will give a worthy response to the party of war and chaos! On October 26, peace, dignity and prosperity will win!” the Government head continued.

The Prime Minister further highlighted Georgia's significant achievements since 2012, including the end of systemic torture and murder, the liberation of business and media, and the establishment of free and fair elections.

Kobakhidze stressed that economic growth was substantial, infrastructure development on the rise, there were improvements in healthcare and social protection, a boost in agriculture, and substantial growth in business and industrial turnover, while unemployment had been halved, with 680,000 citizens having escaped poverty.

The Prime Minister extended his gratitude to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, by saying that without Ivanishvili, Georgia would have been in a “much worse” situation than Ukraine.

“The establishment of democratic governance, the firm defence of national independence and dignity, twelve years of uninterrupted peace, and the country's economic progress are primarily the result of Bidzina Ivanishvili's efforts. We extend our heartfelt thanks to him for these achievements”, the Prime Minister concluded.