PM hails merits of ruling party on 11th anniversary, says it “saved Georgia from destruction”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said the foundation of the ruling Georgian Dream party 11 years ago had been a “milestone” and a “turning point” in the country’s contemporary history, and said it had “saved” the country from “complete destruction”.

In his message for the date, the head of the Government stressed Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the party and the former PM, had initiated the “most important processes” in the country’s political and public life by launching the party on this day in 2012. 

Describing the period as the “most challenging”, Garibashvili said the “anti-national, anti-state and anti-European regime” - in reference to the United National Movement Government - had turned “fear, terror, oppression and violence against its own citizens into the main weapon of politics”. 

Not only the democratic development of the country, but also the life, dignity and freedom of each person was at risk. A regime treacherous to its own people sought to maintain power even at the cost of destroying the country. We have to admit many did not see a way out of this situation at that time”, Garibashvili said.

He added “with this key decision [by Ivanishvili to enter politics]” Georgia had been “saved from complete destruction”, and claimed there was “no doubt” Georgia would have been “turned into a polygon” had UNM been in power at the time of the breakout of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. 

The 2012 Parliamentary elections saw the Georgian Dream coalition “peacefully replace the anti-state regime”, he claimed, adding the new Government “immediately” began to pursue a “national policy”, including through “strengthening of the country’s sovereignty, ensuring peace and stability and freedom of citizens”. 

After the restoration of independence [in the early 1990s], this has been the only period of continuous peace in the country that allows us to direct all our efforts to the development of all sectors. Today we are witnessing significant progress in all directions - welfare, social justice and democracy”, he said. 

Garibashvili also highlighted the country’s “greatest progress” on its European integration path under the current authorities, citing the signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union in 2014, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and visa-free travel deals with the bloc, in addition to the European Council’s granting of European perspective to the country last year.

The process of Georgia’s joining the bloc has become irreversible [under the current Government]”, the Government head said. 

Strengthening the country's sovereignty, ensuring peace and “economic revival”, and protecting and developing its “culture, faith and traditions” remained the Government’s aim with the objective of seeing a “united, free and strong” Georgia, he added.