Ever since the start of Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, Georgian Dream leaders have been aggressively pushing a conspiracy theory that both US and the EU are somehow trying to “drag Georgia into war.”
Despite consistently been debunked by political leaders in both Brussels and Washington as well as western ambassadors in Tbilisi, Georgian Dream has been rather disciplined in maintaining this message.
While Georgian Dream leaders and its notorious chairman Irakli Kobakhidze in particular have consistently attempted to put an equals sign between a possible change of government and an imminent start of war in Georgia, GD has just upped the rhetoric opening now the barrage on Georgia’s civil society and issued demands for Georgia’s partners to “distance themselves” from it.
Giorgi Khelahsvili, Deputy Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Georgian parliament and GD’s key foreign policy speaker said that by not distancing themselves from the US and EU Embassies are encouraging the warmongering attitudes, “civil disorder” focus of leading CSOs, whom Khelashvili referred to as “radical elements.”
He further added that "as long as the cooperation with these radical elements from the West continues, the polarization in Georgia will not end."
"Indeed, there is polarization in Georgia, fueled by the fact that Western diplomats do not distance themselves from those politicians and media outlets who are trying in every possible way to start unrest in Georgia, raise political temperature, etc. These people are not disassociated and cooperation continues with them. This is what feeds their self-confidence, whether it is Elene Khoshtaria (leader of the political part Droa!), or Eka Gigauri (Executive Director of Transparency International - Georgia), who unfortunately appears as a politician and not a representative of the civil sector. The actions of some western politicians inspire these people to continue the rhetoric that is very damaging to Georgia,” Khelashvili said.
“Our request to the Western partners is to clearly distance from them and block the attempts of these people to escalate the situation in Georgia. As long as the cooperation with these radical elements from the West continues, the polarization in Georgia will not end,” he added.
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