Bidzina Ivanishvili: 'We will overcome all difficulties; we will reunify our country and revive our economy!'

The ruling Georgian Dream party chairman and leader Bidzina Ivanishvili has joined in today’s celebration of the country’s assumption of the presidency of the Council of Europe (CoE) Committee of Ministers.

In his address, marking Georgia’s CoE chairmanship, Bidzina Ivanishvili spoke of Georgia’s European aspirations, noting that Georgia entirely shares European values, which “make each and every Georgian European, and Georgia a natural part of Europe!”

We have always made our own, important contributions to the European civilisation. Our homeland – it is a European culture. However, the state, which differs from the homeland like the qvevri differs from wine, has not always been of a European type”, Ivanishvili said.

He further underscored that now, the time has come to pour the Georgian, European wine – European culture – into a similarly European type of state. 

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Noting that Georgia should not simply return to Europe formally but rather "it must attain its rightful, brilliant place in the constellation of Europe", Ivanishvili said he can see that “the Georgian people, the Georgian state and the church of Georgia – the entire nation is united and steadfast in this choice.” 

Photo: Georgian Dream/Facebook

Democracy, the rule of law, equality, and tolerance – these are the values that serve as the foundation for Europe and the values that are so deeply rooted in the Georgian spirit. Precisely this nature, these values make Georgia a natural part of Europe!” the ruling party chairman stated.

Confident that “the day will come when we will celebrate Georgia's accession to the European Union”, Bidzina Ivanishvili said we will then all say that “historic justice has been restored and that we have achieved our goal!”

Let us not forget, however, that first of all, Europe is moderation – the ideal balance, the ideal intersection of freedom and responsibility. Unfortunately, we have to return to European space from a low benchmark because we failed to fully realise our responsibility while being dazed by the scent of freedom at the dawn of independence, and we practically destroyed our country”, he underscored.

Photo: Georgian Dream/Facebook

He further noted that seven years have passed "since the most unprecedentedly populous gathering in the history of Georgia, when half a million citizens gathered here, on this very square.

Seven years ago on this square, we – practically the entire country – came together precisely to restore freedom and dignity! And today, we are once again united at the same place by our unconditional commitment to the European choice!” Ivanishvili addressed the crowd at the Freedom Square.

He then spoke of his political team’s “doubly difficult” legacy, noting that “in addition to rampant poverty”, the Georgian Dream’s “inheritance from the previous authorities included occupation, authoritarianism, and state institutions that were seized by one small group and used to repress free thought and free people”.

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The ruling party chairman therefore said that "the cynicism of today lies in the fact that those who signed off on the occupation are precisely those who assumed the mantle of patriotism and blame us for the occupation".

Those who trampled fundamental human rights, tortured and massacred their brethren in the streets, seized businesses and the media, practically abolished free speech, abolished the street – you may remember that coming out into the street was forbidden – it is precisely they that accuse us of lacking democracy, while addressing us from televisions haphazardly opened using money obtained from looting”, Ivanishvili said in his address.

Photo: Georgian Dream/Facebook

Stressing than he and his political team remain “committed to the ideals of 2012”, Ivanishvili stated that even now, the ruling party will treat the opponents "not in the manner that they deserve but rather in the manner that our people and our great culture deserves”. 

We will overcome all difficulties; we will reunify our country and revive our economy! And, most importantly, we will continue to walk on this path in a way that will retain the human being as the most important value, and very soon we will put even our aggressive opponents in service of the country – once they themselves have become convinced of the futility of a policy that is based on lies and violence”, Ivanishvili concluded.

Young activists of the ruling party organised a mass gathering at the Freedom Squate in downtown Tbilisi to mark the country’s six-month chairmanship on its 20th anniversary of the CoE membership.