Nika Gvaramia, the leader of the Coalition for Change, delivered a sharp critique of Georgia’s political system during a meeting with members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Gvaramia described the country’s governance as an oligarchy, equating it to authoritarianism, and dismissed the term “hybrid democracy” as misleading. According to him, this label disguises the true nature of the regime, which, in his view, undermines fundamental democratic principles.
’’We are a European country and we are moving towards a civilization close to us, which is hindered by the Russian oligarch. In Georgia, there is an oligarchy, which is the same as authoritarianism. Now a new term has appeared – hybrid democracy, which I do not like, because in the end, this is not democracy, but authoritarianism,’’ Gvaramia told the MEPs.
During his speech, Gvaramia detailed widespread irregularities in Georgia’s October 26 parliamentary elections, referring to it as a “festival of falsifications.” He cited thin ballot papers that revealed voter choices, compromising ballot secrecy, and surveillance cameras positioned near vote-counting machines as examples of how the process violated basic democratic standards. Additionally, he accused the authorities of using fake identification cards to facilitate fraudulent multiple voting, a scheme allegedly coordinated by the Central Election Commission, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Security Services.
The opposition leader also highlighted the systemic persecution of political opponents, pointing to his own 400-day imprisonment and the continued detention of former President Mikheil Saakashvili as evidence of the regime’s oppressive tactics. He emphasized that public servants who oppose the ruling government face significant pressure, further stifling dissent.
Gvaramia expressed concern over the exclusion of the Georgian diaspora from the electoral process. He noted that only a fraction of the 20% of Georgians living abroad were able to participate in the elections, contrasting this with Moldova, where the diaspora has played a decisive role in democratic developments. He suggested that the Georgian government deliberately restricted diaspora voting to limit opposition influence.
