Georgian PM: only ruling party has “ambitious, realistic commitments” ahead of parliamentary elections

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday claimed the ruling Georgian Dream party represented the “only political party” in the country that had “both ambitious and realistic commitments” for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled on October 26.

Kobakhidze claimed domestic opposition was “acting irresponsibly toward the public” by making “empty promises”.

As for the opposition, one is Lelo [opposition party], which says a pension of ₾1,000 ($371) [will be ensured if it wins the election], the other is the United National Movement, which says a pension of €500 - all of these are absolutely figures out of thin air that do not have any solid foundation”, the PM  claimed.

Every time we make a promise, our promise is based on concrete, real calculations. We calculate what the economic growth will be in our country, what the budgetary parameters will be and accordingly, what the country will be able to afford in the direction of pensions or in any other direction”, he added.

The PM also claimed GD and its supporters had “chosen traditional principles”, while the “radical opposition” had been “spreading preudo-liberal propaganda”, in reference to the opposition boycotting a legislative package titled On Family Values and Protection of Minors, initiated by the ruling party earlier this year to combat “LGBT propaganda” and “protect national and religious values”.

The main reason for the boycott is this very bill, they do not want to support a bill that is against LGBT propaganda in the country. They are mandated not to support such a law, but rather to promote pseudo-liberal propaganda”, he said.

Kobakhidze claimed the election was a “referendum on Georgian society's stance between pseudo-liberal and LGBT propaganda and traditional values”.