"Ivanishvili or Georgia" - assessments of the speech by the oligarch-leader of the ruling party

Ivanishvili against the West

Politicians and civil society representatives in Georgia stated that on April 29, the informal ruler of the country, oligarch and honorary chairman of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, delivered openly anti-Western messages at an event organized by the Georgian Dream in support of the “foreign agents” bill.

Politicians and representatives of civil society contend that his entire speech was laden with pro-Russian sentiments, and Ivanishvili, who formerly served as Georgia’s prime minister, effectively announced political repressions. You can read what exactly Ivanishvili said at the rally here.

Comments

Lasha Bugadze, writer: “The question now is: either Ivanishvili or Georgia.

Will we hold out? Can we withstand the hysterical calls from those sitting in front of their TV screens: ‘The robocops (police and special forces) are out, why are you still standing there, go home’?

Can we overcome fatigue? Can we endure the somewhat dull speakers? Won’t we get tired of it all?

If we can, then we will save our country. If we can’t, then neither Georgia, nor us, nor those who today sang the praises of Bidzina Ivanishvili will be saved.”

Mamuka Khazaradze, Lelo Party: “Bidzina Ivanishvili openly admitted today that he serves Russia. For his party, the European Union is a ‘party of global war.’ This is a repetition of Putin’s narratives.

Ivanishvili’s main message today was not about development, not about the future, not about Europe — but about Russia, and about his personal Putinization.

But, Bidzina, your Russian dream will never come true in Georgia. Georgia will not deliver you to Russia.”

Nino Lomdzharia, former public defender: “Bidzina declared the West an enemy of Georgia and promised new repressions.

But ‘Georgian Dream’ will disappear as quickly as the people who were brought by buses to listen to Bidzina Ivanishvili on Rustaveli Avenue disperse.”

• “Ivanishvili and his ‘Dream’ shifted course towards Russia,” – the statement of Georgian diplomats
• Tens of thousands continue protests in Tbilisi against Georgia’s ‘foreign agents’ bill
• Fourteen US senators pledge sanctions and visa bans against Ivanishvili’s regime in Georgia

Zurab Japaridze, “Girchi – More Freedom” party: “”When they talk about the past, they blame the West. And for the future, too, they named the West as the main threat.

Bidzina did not talk about the need for fair resource distribution or any other reforms. He announced repressions after the parliamentary elections.”

Giorgi Margvelashvili, former president: “This chairman of the Soviet Politburo spoke to us plainly, with less sophisticated rhetoric than the leaders of the Communist Party did in the late 1980s and 1990s.

For over two years, the ‘Georgian Dream’ has been indirectly attacking the West. Thanks to Bidzina Ivanishvili for summarizing and putting a period to it.

Now, there will be no more discussions about foul language being just someone’s opinions. It’s now clear that this is the declared course of Georgia’s leader, who accused the West of conspiring against the country. Moreover, he said that this conspiracy has been going on for the past 20 years.

Western diplomats have been made aware that their nations, which have provided assistance and aided in the development of our country during periods of hunger, disasters, and diseases over the decades, were actually exerting control over us as foreign agents.”

Nika Gvaramia from the “Ahali” party: “Ivanishvili made an extremely isolationist and aggressively repressive call; he sows hatred and discord.

This individual poses a great danger to Georgia, and we must end his rule this year. We are obligated to do so.”