Home POLITICS Ivanishvili Reaffirms Promise to Ban Opposition Days Before Georgia’s Elections

Ivanishvili Reaffirms Promise to Ban Opposition Days Before Georgia’s Elections

by EUToday Correspondents
Ivanishvili Reaffirms Promise to Ban Opposition Days Before Georgia’s Elections

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has reiterated his commitment to banning the country’s main opposition parties if his party secures a constitutional majority in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

In an interview with Imedi TV, Ivanishvili, who is also the leading candidate on Georgian Dream’s election list, emphasised that once the main opposition forces are banned, new political alternatives will emerge.

“Once this force [the opposition] is pushed aside, Georgian Dream will face many opponents, and I am looking forward to that day. It will be the happiest day when people will be able to choose between something good and something even better,” Ivanishvili said.

The billionaire oligarch, who is often described as pro-Russian, called on Georgian citizens to support Georgian Dream in the upcoming elections. He expressed regret that, for now, Georgian Dream appears to be the only option for voters, but promised that after the opposition is banned, there will be new choices.

“I apologise to the people of Georgia that today their only choice is Georgian Dream,” he said. “But you will have a choice after this—not Georgian Dream, but something similar and better. There will be as much opposition as we want.”

Criticism of Former Ally Gakharia

In addition to outlining his vision for Georgia’s future political landscape, Ivanishvili also launched a scathing attack on former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, now a leader of the opposition. Ivanishvili accused Gakharia and his team of betraying the country and aiding the return of the United National Movement (UNM), Georgia’s largest opposition party.

“This shameless man [Gakharia] and those standing with him will, of course, have to face trial,” Ivanishvili said. “We will prove everything in black and white—what he did and why he did it. He facilitated the return of the National Movement back then, and he continues to help them now.”

This direct threat against Gakharia and his supporters follows Ivanishvili’s broader narrative that opposition parties, including Gakharia’s, pose a threat to Georgia’s stability.

Georgian Dream leaders, including Ivanishvili, have made it clear that if they win a constitutional majority, they will move swiftly to ban the main opposition parties.

Opposition Parties Targeted for Ban

The opposition forces facing a potential ban include not only the UNM but also several other prominent parties, such as Akhali, Girchi – More Freedom, Lelo, Gakharia’s For Georgia party, and Droa. Georgian Dream has argued that these parties, through their affiliations and actions, are undermining the country’s stability and progress.

The plan to prohibit these parties has drawn sharp criticism from Georgia’s Western partners, who are concerned about the implications for democracy in the country. A ban on opposition parties would mark a significant departure from democratic norms, which have been a key requirement in Georgia’s pursuit of European Union membership.

Response from Western Partners

The proposal to outlaw opposition parties has been met with strong condemnation from Western governments and institutions, who have raised concerns over the future of pluralism and political competition in Georgia. Critics warn that such a move would be a serious step back for democracy in the country.

Despite this, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has insisted that the ban will not hinder Georgia’s ambitions to join the European Union. He cited examples of other countries, such as Moldova and Ukraine, which have implemented bans on political parties in the interest of national security while continuing their EU accession processes.

Kobakhidze sought to reassure critics by framing the ban as a necessary step to protect Georgia’s democratic system from forces that, according to him, threaten the country’s stability. “The ban on opposition parties will not become an obstacle to Georgia’s EU membership,” Kobakhidze stated, echoing Ivanishvili’s arguments.

Image source: info.imedi.ge
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