Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who currently chairs the For Georgia opposition party, on Thursday addressed the younger generation in a meeting, calling on them to reject the current political status quo and advocate for a transformative shift in the Soviet-era political elite.
During the engagement, he emphasized the need for change not only in politics but also across various dimensions of the country’s life and sought input from young people on a spectrum of issues ranging from education and healthcare to student housing, employment opportunities, scholarships, workplace conditions, nepotism, and the challenges associated with moving to the capital.
The prevailing sentiment among the youth was a demand for an environment characterized by equality, fairness, and competitiveness. Many asserted that the current government fell short of providing such an environment and, at times, hindered its creation. Aspirations for a European future resonated strongly among the youth, seen as crucial for their development and professional growth.
Addressing the youth directly, Gakharia underscored their “pivotal role” and stressed the importance of their participation in the upcoming 2024 elections. He highlighted the significance of Georgia’s human resources, branding it as the country’s most valuable asset and noted that in a system “plagued by corrupt elites” and “rampant corruption”, the prevailing nepotism was the primary route for social mobility leaving young individuals feeling hopeless. The solution, according to Gakharia, lay in electoral change.
“Everything can be changed; it can be changed with elections, with elections!” Gakharia said, urging the youth to actively engage in the political process.
Gakharia, who quit the ruling Georgian Dream party and premiership in 2021, has been accused of cooperation with the United National Movement, the largest opposition group in the country founded by former President Mikheil Saakashvili, by the current ruling power.
Rejecting allegations as “unfounded”, the party members claim the GD is “afraid of” the “growing rating” of For Georgia and taking actions to demonize it.
