Opinion: "The situation in Georgia is serious, but by no means hopeless"
Who will win in Georgia’s protests?
“Due to the violent dispersal of protests, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s image as a guarantor of stability is being destroyed. This is significant because it also undermines his legitimacy, both among the population within the country and among political forces outside of it,” says political commentator David Zurabishvili.
He considers the current situation in Georgia serious, but by no means hopeless.
A massive wave of protests erupted in Georgia after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced on November 28 that the country would officially suspend negotiations for joining the European Union until 2028. Every night, protests take place in Tbilisi in front of the parliament building, with police attempting to disperse protesters using water cannons, tear gas, and violence, while also detaining many of them.
Commentary
Political commentator David Zurabishvili:
“Due to these actions (the violent suppression of protests — JAMnews), Bidzina Ivanishvili’s image as a guarantor of stability is being destroyed. This is significant because it also undermines his legitimacy, both among the population within the country and among political forces outside of it.
Even Russia does not need a government that cannot ensure stability.
This is why Bidzina is attempting to suppress the protests as quickly as possible. Based on Russian-oligarchic practices, he believes that if he can capture and neutralize the protest organizers, the protests will subside.
This can be understood and explained from the perspective of authoritarianism.
However, his problem is that these protests truly lack a specific organizer.
No organization or individual can be identified as the leader. Ivanishvili cannot fathom the idea that such large-scale protests could emerge through self-organization. He simply refuses to consider this possibility and continues searching in vain for a ‘black cat in a dark room that isn’t there.’
No one knows how far his inadequate search for organizers could lead in terms of repression. The threat of an attempt to establish a dictatorship is very real, and the Georgian society’s response can only be greater resolve, more organization, and even more protests. There is simply no other path.
Much also depends on the level of pressure from the West and the tools they employ to stop this Russian-style lawlessness. Serious efforts are needed in this direction as well.
In short, the situation is serious, but far from hopeless. I have not seen such large-scale protests across all of Georgia in a very long time. Such energy cannot simply vanish; that would defy the laws of physics.
It is also important to note that Ivanishvili’s power today is based solely on violence, the support of law enforcement agencies, and sought-after criminals.
They are few, and we are many.”
