Georgia's ruling party: “deep state” targeting Honorary Chair Ivanishvili “for securing peace”

The Georgian Dream ruling party on Wednesday accused an alleged covert global network, known as “the deep state”, of “orchestrating sanctions and political pressure” against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the party’s founder and its Honorary Chair, “for his efforts in securing peace and stability” in the country. 

In an official statement, the party claimed Ivanishvili had been “in conflict with the interests of powerful external actors pushing for a global conflict”.

Sanctions as a “punishment for peace”

The GD strongly condemned financial sanctions and visa restrictions imposed by several countries on key Georgian politicians following the Government's decision last year not to include European Union accession talks on its agenda until 2028 following alleged “blackmail” from the West, labeling them as “unjust and harmful actions against the Georgian people”. 

The party claimed the sanctions were part of a broader campaign against Ivanishvili, who it asserted was being “punished for fostering democratic governance, reviving the Georgian economy, and preventing Georgia from being dragged into international conflicts” amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. 

The imposition of sanctions on Ivanishvili is not just a political maneuver - it is a retaliation for his role in bringing peace to Georgia. He replaced the bloody authoritarianism of the past [under the United National Movement Governmnet] with democratic governance, ended systemic torture, and drastically reduced media manipulation and election fraud”, the party said.  

It further hailed the GD authorities for growing the domestic economy from $28 billion to $90 billion while in power and “ensuring a lasting peace - something the deep state cannot tolerate”. 

Accusations against “the deep state” and the “Global War Party”

The statement went on to accuse “the deep state” of having significant influence over Western governments and international organisations, painting it as a “hidden force that undermines national sovereignty, manipulates economic and political systems, and fuels conflict”. 

The ruling party asserted the force was the “main instigator of global instability”, citing the war in Ukraine as a “prime example” of how the network allegedly orchestrated geopolitical turmoil.

Every politician or bureaucrat who acts against the national interests of their country is a member of the deep state, which operates under the orders of the Global War Party. It is this group that has made America and Europe pawns in a destructive game of power”, the GD said. 

It is the deep state that has inflicted the greatest economic damage on the EU and plunged numerous countries into endless conflict. Ukraine, a nation that had sovereignty, peace, and an economy worth 200 billion dollars in 2014, is now devastated, and the deep state bears responsibility for that tragedy”, it added.

Sanctions targeting Ivanishvili: an attempt to subvert Georgia’s sovereignty

The GD further criticised the European Parliament for passing five resolutions it described as “aimed at undermining the sovereignty of Georgia”. 

The resolutions, the party claimed, “not only demanded punitive actions against Ivanishvili and other Georgian leaders but also sought to impose external social agendas, such as repeal of laws against LGBT propaganda”. 

Through these resolutions, the EP called for the punishment of Ivanishvili, the release of [former President Mikheil] Saakashvili and other criminals, repeal of the law against LGBT propaganda, and more”, it alleged.

In the fifth resolution, the EP made a demand that no serious actor had previously dared to publicly make - imposition of sanctions on Russia [by Georgia for invading Ukraine] and a collapse of the Georgian economy. Given this pattern, it is likely that the body will soon openly call for a war with Russia in its sixth resolution”, the GD said. 

It added the EP had “become a tool of the deep state, pushing resolutions that undermine the will of the Georgian people and pressure our Government to act against our best interests”. 

We are being punished for choosing peace over war, stability over chaos, and for resisting the demands of foreign powers to involve Georgia in a conflict with Russia”, it claimed.

The fight against external pressure

The statement also emphasised the Georgian Government and people would “not be intimidated by sanctions, regardless of their severity” and warned that imposition of the latter was a “direct attempt to force the country into conflict, aligning with the interests of external actors rather than its own national priorities”. 

The message from the Global War Party is clear: ‘either you fight, or we will punish you’", the GD said. “But the Georgian people understand that no sanction can compare to the destruction of our country. We will not allow Georgia to become another Ukraine”. 

The role of global actors: a call for change

The ruling party also pointed to actions of American politicians such as Congressman Joe Wilson, whom it accused of “using his position to advance the interests of the deep state”. 

Wilson, according to the GD, is “actively undermining” Georgia’s sovereignty while allegedly benefiting from political connections and financial support tied to global oligarchic networks.

Wilson has introduced the so-called MEGOBARI Act concerning Georgia, which, based on its content, could more accurately be described as an Enemy Act. He appears to have acted on the principle of ‘pleasant together with useful’, blending the fulfillment of the deep state's agenda with financial benefits from [wanted Georgian former Defence Minister David] Kezerashvili, a figure involved in embezzling from European pensioners”, the statement claimed.

The funds stolen from these pensioners are, ironically, being directed toward supporting one American pensioner - Joe Wilson himself”, it added. 

It is important to note that despite presenting himself as a conservative, Wilson has never criticised [US State Secretary] Antony Blinken’s controversial decision to ban making references to a man as a man and a woman as a woman, a decision that was overwhelmingly rejected by President-elect DonaldTrump’s team”, the party added. 

The GD highlighted the “need for Georgia to continue its pursuit of peace, dignity, and prosperity”, asserting that a “reformed EU, free from the deep state’s influence”, would be essential for Georgia’s future integration.

The party claimed “under the influence of the Global War Party, the George Orwell principle is at play in today's world: ‘War is peace, slavery is freedom, and ignorance is strength’. War, slavery, ignorance, and the distortion of reality are the key tools used by the Global War Party to unofficially govern much of the modern world”. 

For the second consecutive time, they have rejected the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights’ conclusions over Georgia’s October 26 parliamentary elections, despite having previously insisted on inviting an OSCE/ODIHR observation mission to Georgia. Furthermore, the opposition, frustrated by this conclusion, and their supporters did everything in their power to prevent the OSCE delegation from arriving in Georgia”, the party said. 

A vision for Georgia’s future

In its closing remarks, the GD emphasised that Georgia “should not only await changes in the EU but actively contribute to overcoming the challenges facing Europe”. 

"Our vision for Georgia’s future is clear: peace, dignity, and prosperity for Georgia and all of Europe. Only through overcoming the deep state and its destructive influence can we hope to build a better future for our country and our people”, it said. 

The party expressed hope that by 2030, the EU would be “rid of oligarchic influence”, allowing Georgia to “join the union on equal terms, while preserving its national identity and values”.