Georgia’s ruling political party, Georgian Dream, has released a campaign video contrasting picturesque shots of the country with footage of destroyed Ukrainian cities. The video shows the aftermath of Russian attacks on sites such as Irpin, Mariupol, Bakhmut, and Kyiv, juxtaposing images of bombed out cityscapes in Ukraine with scenic views of fountains and new buses in Georgia.
A segment of the video focuses on the Mariupol Drama Theater, destroyed on Mar. 16, 2022 in a targeted Russian airstrike that killed between 300 and 600 civilians, many of them mothers with children who were sheltering in the building. Next to footage of the destruction, Georgian Dream displays the sunlit, beautiful facade of the drama theater in the Georgian city of Senaki. The slogan of the video is “No War! Choose Peace!”
According to NewsGeorgia, similar banners have also appeared on the streets of cities across the country. The video can be found on Georgian Dream's official Facebook page. The party's website is currently inaccessible, with its archived version listing the Facebook page as the party’s main point of contact.
Parliamentary elections are to be held in Georgia on Oct 26, 2024. The ruling Georgian Dream party will attempt to secure a fourth term in power.
The Georgian Dream party is led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia. Both the party and its leader maintain an openly anti-Western stance and have been implementing Russian-style repressive practices in Georgia since coming to power in 2012. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Georgia refused to impose sanctions on Russia, did not participate in the supply of arms to Kyiv, and restricted entry into the country for Russian opposition figures and journalists. The party also accused the West and Ukraine of attempting to drag Georgia into the conflict with Russia.
In May 2024, the Ivanishvili-controlled parliament passed a “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence.” It mirrors Russian legislation targeting so-called “foreign agents,” and it led to mass protests that saw clashes with police, who used pepper spray, batons, and water cannons against demonstrators. Then in June, the Georgian Parliament passed a law banning “LGBT propaganda” and gender transitions — a bill also put forward by Ivanishvili’s party. It prohibits changing one’s gender in official documents or through surgery and prevents LGBTQ+ people from adopting children. The incumbent Georgian government claims the law was passed to secure “family values and the protection of minors.”
These legislative developments have led to the suspension of Georgia's plans to join the European Union. On July 9, the EU’s ambassador to the country, Pawel Herczynski, said that Georgia’s “EU accession process is stopped for now,” citing a decision “by EU leaders during the last European Council.” Herczynski added that, “Other measures are being considered if the situation further deteriorates.”
The EU has also said it may consider temporarily suspending its visa-free regime with Georgia if the Oct. 26 parliamentary election is not deemed to be free, fair, and peaceful.
In mid-August, Georgian Dream announced that if it gains a coalition majority in parliament, the country would effectively ban the opposition by prohibiting the political participation of the so-called “collective National Movement” — a reference to the United National Movement, a pro-Western party founded by former president Mikheil Saakashvili.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze clarified that this term encompasses not only Mikheil Saakashvili's party, but also essentially all major opposition parties in the country. Kobakhidze indicated that Georgian Dream would be satisfied with a one-party parliament if the ban is enforced, stating that the decision would be made by the Prosecutor's Office without involving the Constitutional Court.
Ivanishvili has labeled the “United National Movement” a “party of global war” and “fascists,” promising them a “Nuremberg trial.” He has also accused Saakashvili's party of being responsible for the 2008 war with Russia.
Mikheil Saakashvili is currently serving a six-year prison term following his 2018 conviction for ordering riot police to assault Georgian MP Valery Gelashvili in 2005 and for pardoning interior ministry officials involved in the 2006 killing of bank employee Sandro Girgvliani. The former president, who led Georgia from 2004 to 2013, was arrested upon his return to the country in Oct. 2021 after spending eight years in self-imposed exile.
Since his imprisonment, Saakashvili's health has become a matter of serious concern for human rights groups and international organizations, which have noted his hunger strikes and reported that the former president has inadequate access to proper medical treatment. The politician has lost over 40 kilograms (88 pounds) during his incarceration and has alleged that he was poisoned while behind bars.
On May 23, 2024, the European Court of Human Rights dismissed Saakashvili’s appeals against his convictions, ruling that the trials were conducted fairly.
Parliamentary elections are to be held in Georgia on Oct 26, 2024. The ruling Georgian Dream party will attempt to secure a fourth term in power.