Georgia’s ruling party official: backed by mandate of people, Georgian Dream defends state interests

Irakli Kirtskhalia, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Tuesday accused the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and the former Prosecutor General Nika Gvaramia of acting on instructions from foreign patrons, confirming reports of efforts to unify opposition forces.

In his remarks, Kirtskhalia noted that both Saakashvili, the architect of the United National Movement regime, and Gvaramia, his former Prosecutor General, admitted that directives for forming an alliance came from external actors.

According to him, the agents formed as the United National Movement believe that the external tasks received against their own people and country, and the steps they have taken, are not radical enough - which they see as the main reason for their failure. Consequently, they have decided to seek new, in their view, more influential external patrons in exchange for an offer of unconditional obedience; a process which, as they themselves announced, they are beginning from the United States.

“35 years ago on this day, all of Georgia voted for the sovereign future of our country. On this very day, I would like to respond to another unification of the same anti-government group of declared enemies of Georgia's sovereignty and their attempt to find new foreign patrons. Although they refer to these forces as partners, we all know very well that they are not their partners, but patrons who issue tasks against Georgia and the Georgian people, which their obedient, the said local radicals, carry out without a word”, Kirtskhalia said.

The official added that the Georgian people knew very well that this was not a new union, but the old United National Movement, representing a bloody regime that brought many misfortunes upon the Georgian people and the homeland.

“There is no national interest for you! You did not serve Georgia when you were in power, and even less so now, because then and even now, your starting point is not to follow the orders of Georgian citizens, but of your foreign masters. That is why you do not value the legitimacy of the Georgian people, which, naturally, you have never had, do not have and will never have. That is why you expect help from foreign patrons, especially in the context that you are on the verge of political existence or non-existence. After each failed plan against Georgia, you are looking for new foreign patrons, however, you do not realise that the decisive word in this country belongs to the Georgian people”, he continued.

Kirtskhalia noted that unlike the United National Movement, the ruling Georgian Dream party, equipped with the mandate of the Georgian people, carried out the orders of Georgian citizens, sincerely defended the interests of the state and sovereignty.

“Accordingly, that is why we are and that is why we will be in power, unlike you, agents of a foreign country, whose place is not in Georgian politics, but in the political trash”, he concluded.