PM: “authoritarianism festivals” funded from abroad cannot bring Georgia back to authoritarian state

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday said the “festivals of authoritarianism” financed from abroad could not bring authoritarianism back to the country.

Kobakhidze made the statement regarding the photos of Mikheil Saakashvili, the imprisoned former President of Georgia, displayed at the Festival of Democracy which was held in the city of Telavi in the country's eastern Kakheti region on Saturday.

As I know, at the so-called Festival of Democracy, Saakashvili's photos were exhibited which means the festival of authoritarianism is taking place there. The worst is that, such festivals in Georgia are directly financed by foreign donors”, the Prime Minister noted. 

He also pointed out that the fact was an “inappropriate intervention” in the election process, adding the October elections would take place against the background of “flagrant violations” of electoral principles, but this would not affect the election results.

The Georgian society sees everything quite well. Therefore, no matter what kind of interference is taking place, including external one, it will not have any significant impact on the outcome of the elections. Even the festivals of authoritarianism financed from abroad cannot bring back authoritarianism to Georgia”, Kobakhidze said.

A non-profit organisation Eastern European Centre for Multiparty Democracy organised a Festival of Democracy in Telavi with the participation of representatives of the domestic opposition to inform citizens about their election programme.  

The same festival took place in the western municipality of Tsalenjikha last week.