Former Prime Minister and leader of the For Georgia party, Giorgi Gakharia, has sharply criticized the ruling Georgian Dream party, accusing it of failing to capitalize on major geopolitical shifts unfolding in the South Caucasus.
In recent statements, Gakharia argued that the government’s “anti-national” and irrational policies have resulted in Georgia’s growing isolation at a time when neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan are actively securing new economic and security opportunities.
Gakharia claimed that Tbilisi is being sidelined from shaping the emerging regional order, while Baku and Yerevan are adapting more effectively to the changing geopolitical landscape. He warned that Georgia is gradually losing its strategic significance and missing critical opportunities that could strengthen its role as a regional hub.
A key element of his criticism focused on the state of Georgia’s relations with the United States. Gakharia pointed to recent high-level US diplomatic engagement in the South Caucasus that did not include Georgia, describing this as a troubling signal of the country’s diminishing relevance in regional diplomacy. He argued that strained ties with Washington have contributed to Georgia’s marginalization at a time when regional security architectures are being reshaped.
Gakharia further claimed that the Georgian Dream government has alienated Western partners and failed to position Georgia as a central player in peace processes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In his view, the country should be leveraging its geographic location and diplomatic experience to remain indispensable in regional negotiations.
“It is good that at least our neighbors understand Georgia’s role, while the current Georgian government has no real grasp of the opportunities that ongoing geopolitical changes are presenting to Georgia and to all three countries of the South Caucasus,” Gakharia wrote on X.
Calling for a strategic reset, the former prime minister stressed that Georgia must re-engage closely with its neighbors and strategic partners in order to return to the center of the regional agenda. He emphasized that the country’s long-term security and economic prospects depend on proactive diplomacy and effective integration into emerging regional frameworks.
The remarks add to growing political debate within Georgia over the government’s foreign policy course and its handling of relations with Western allies amid rapidly shifting dynamics in the South Caucasus.
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