Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday revealed that the ruling Georgian Dream party intended to reset relations with various political actors, including what he referred to as the “Global War Party.” This reset, according to the Prime Minister, is set to begin at the start of next year.
Kobakhidze identified three key factors necessary for resetting these relationships: the outcomes of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia, the US presidential elections, and the resolution of the war in Ukraine. “Interests are temporary, they change along with changes in the situation. After two elections and the war in Ukraine are over, we are confident that interests towards our country will change qualitatively,” said Kobakhidze. He expressed optimism that these shifts would create the opportunity to “reset relations with everyone.”
Pressed by a journalist to clarify his reference to the “Global War Party,” Kobakhidze responded cryptically: “This is a work of your imagination. We know exactly what and how to arrange it from the beginning of next year.” His comments echoed sentiments previously voiced by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former Georgian prime minister and the GD Honorary Chair, who has suggested that the “Global War Party” had pushed Georgia towards conflict in an attempt to turn the country into a second front in the war with Ukraine.
Ivanishvili further claimed that this same “Global War Party” is behind political maneuverings in the US and EU. He attributed his financial losses, reportedly amounting to $1.2 billion related to a dispute with Credit Suisse, to these influences. According to him, this power bloc’s aggression toward Georgia stems from their failure to involve the country more directly in the ongoing regional conflict.
Responding to these allegations, the US Embassy in Georgia issued a rebuttal on October 1 via Facebook, noting that Ivanishvili’s financial concerns are tied up in court cases in Bermuda and Singapore, not with the US government. “Why is he telling Georgians a different story?” the embassy questioned.
During the same press conference, Kobakhidze addressed questions about his health, revealing that a recent bout of Covid-19 had delayed the presentation of Georgian Dream’s election program. Initially scheduled for October 1, the program presentation is now expected to take place on October 8 or 9.
