Georgian PM: October elections choice between slavery and sovereignty

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Prime Minister of Georgia and the Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party election staff, on Sunday called the October 26 general elections a “battle between statelessness and love of the country, atheism and respect for the church, slavery and sovereignty”. 

Addressing the public in an election campaign event in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of South-West Georgia, the top official described the vote “as more than a routine political event, but a decisive referendum”. 

During his speech, Kobakhidze highlighted the “historical significance” of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, noting its residents had fought “numerous battles to defend Georgia's independence and identity”. 

Each hill of the land of Samtskhe-Javakheti preserves the history and cultural heritage of our country”, he said and stressed the region served as a “reminder of the responsibilities facing the country’s leaders, particularly in the areas of dignity, peace, and the future of Georgia as a European state”.

In his address, the official slammed the opposition, accusing them of “working under external influence to destabilise Georgia”, and claimed “their goal is to turn the country into a second front [amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict] and “plunge it back” into what he referred to as a "dark past”. 

However, the PM asserted the Georgian public “will not allow this under any circumstances” and went on to say the Georgian people would deliver a "full answer to the Party of War [in reference to the United National Movement and allied opposition groups] and chaos" on the election day.

The PM also targeted the opposition’s claims over Georgia’s European future and accused the "collective UNM" of “misleading the public” by suggesting that Georgia could only achieve a European future through their return to power. 

Kobakhidze rejected the opposition's narrative, claiming, "those who equate authoritarianism, murder, and torture of people [as under the UNM rule] with Europe have nothing to do with true European values”. 

Turning to the achievements of the ruling party, the PM highlighted the progress made since 2012, when the party took power, and noted a series of accomplishments, which he said included: 

• Georgia prevented the systematic practice of killing and torturing people [as it happened under the UNM], and both business and media were liberated.
• Free and fair elections have been conducted, allowing Georgia to be governed by a sovereign government elected by its people, rather than by an externally appointed authority.
• From 2021 to 2024, Georgia’s economy grew by ₾40 billion ($15 bln), leading to a ₾10 billion ($ 4bln) increase in the national budget over this period.
• The pace of infrastructure development, including highways, schools, and kindergartens, has significantly accelerated.
• The Universal Healthcare Program was launched, and the social protection package for the population has been improved multiple times.
• Agricultural programs receive hundreds of millions of GEL in annual funding, driving substantial progress in the sector.
• Since 2012, business turnover has increased fivefold, wages in the business sector have tripled, and industrial turnover has tripled as well.
• Unemployment has been reduced by half since 2012.
• 680,000 of our citizens have been lifted out of poverty.
• Georgia has made unprecedented progress in sports, as highlighted recently by the achievements of our football players, Olympians, and Paralympians. Once again, I extend my congratulations on our players’ recent victory.
• The GD administration is the first administration since the restoration of independence under which the country has not been involved in war.

Kobakhidze credited Bidzina Ivanishvili, the party’s Founder and Honorary Chairman, for the achievements, particularly for “introducing democratic governance and maintaining national independence”. "If it were not for Mr. Ivanishvili, Georgia would be in a much more difficult situation, like Ukraine is today”, he added.

The PM concluded his speech by announcing the GD would unveil its election program on October 1, which he said would include a four-year plan for the country’s development. He said the plan would set "ambitious and achievable tasks" aimed at “strengthening Georgia’s democracy and economy, while improving the standard of living for its citizens”.

He further called on voters to “prioritise peace and stability” in the upcoming election, stressing that "none of this will happen without peace”, and added, "October 26 is our day, and Georgia will definitely win!"