Leader of Gakharia – For Georgia Giorgi Gakharia declared during his visit to Brussels that he fully intends to return to Georgia, but believes his current efforts are more impactful abroad, particularly in the EU capital.
“Am I going to return to Georgia? Of course. I still have planned visits. But today, my presence here is more effective,” Gakharia said, addressing concerns about his absence from domestic politics.
He criticized the Georgian government as “dangerous” and “reckless,” saying its behavior is unpredictable and driven by financial corruption:
“In the morning, when this government wakes up, they don’t think about the EU, inflation, or how people live. They’re looking for Bitcoins and stolen money. That’s their reality.”
Addressing speculation about the risks he faces, Gakharia underlined his readiness to continue his political fight under any circumstances:
“I am ready to fight—in any form and in any place. If I am most effective here, I’ll fight here. If in Georgia, I’ll fight there. If in prison—then I will fight in prison. But I will not surrender to the Dream like this.”
Gakharia also commented on the recent European Parliament hearing on Georgia (July 15), warning that the government is shielding itself behind Georgian citizens to avoid individual EU sanctions:
“Just because the EU hasn’t yet reached consensus on personal sanctions doesn’t mean Georgian citizens should be punished. Georgian Dream is doing everything to avoid these sanctions, even if it means sacrificing visa-free travel.”
He urged the government to disclose any official communication from the European Commission about Georgia’s EU status and warned that the ruling party would be content if Georgians lost visa-free travel:
“Remember Ivanishvili’s famous line: ‘The borders opened, people saw what life is like, and then they wanted the same here.’ Losing visa-free access would serve Dream’s interests—they’re afraid of citizens wanting a better life.”
Gakharia accused the government of betraying Georgia’s European path and called the current leadership “anti-national and anti-state.”
“Everything we’ve built over the last 20 years toward Europe is being destroyed. The country has been driven by money for the past two months.”
Regarding domestic politics, Gakharia highlighted the importance of unity ahead of local elections and praised the recent memorandum signed with Lelo – Strong Georgia as a crucial step toward broader opposition cooperation:
“This is not the time to compete with each other. We must work together. Where we can agree on neutral candidates—that will be our best result. We’re open to dialogue, even with voters of boycotting parties. Party confrontations belong in the past.”
Gakharia’s remarks reflect both a call for broader unity within the pro-European opposition and a sharp warning about the direction of Georgian politics under the current government.
Related story: UK Foreign Secretary: Sentences against Georgian political leaders aim to block them from upcoming elections
