Ivanishvili urges public to secure ruling party’s constitutional majority to prosecute former gov’t
Bidzina Ivanishvili, honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream ruling party, on Wednesday reaffirmed the party’s determination to secure a constitutional majority in the October 26 elections, aiming to bring legal action against the United National Movement (UNM), the previous ruling party.
Speaking at a campaign event in Mtskheta, Ivanishvili emphasized that achieving the majority was essential to hold the UNM accountable for past crimes and to ensure Georgia’s future stability.
He described the election as a referendum where citizens must choose between war and peace, freedom and slavery, and moral decline versus Christian values.
However, he made it clear that the primary goal of the GD in this election was to secure a constitutional majority, which he argued was necessary to address both immediate and long-term national challenges.
Ivanishvili accused the UNM of committing numerous crimes during their time in power, including authoritarian governance, torture, and the 2008 war with Russia, which resulted in the loss of 20 percent of Georgia’s territory. He emphasized that with a constitutional majority, GD would ensure the UNM and its successor parties face justice, “permanently removing” them from Georgia’s political landscape.
Ivanishvili also detailed the party’s intention to introduce a constitutional law on family values and the protection of minors, aiming to ban same-sex marriage, civil partnerships, and LGBT propaganda in the country.
He described the measures as necessary to preserve Georgia’s national identity and counter the spread of alleged pseudo-liberal ideologies, which he claimed have had detrimental effects in other countries.
In addition to addressing the UNM, Ivanishvili pointed to the “rapidly changing” political situation in the region, suggesting that Georgia might soon have an opportunity to restore its territorial integrity. He argued that Georgian Dream needed a constitutional majority to make any necessary amendments to the constitution in the event that the territorial integrity issue came to the forefront.
Ivanishvili warned that the UNM would likely oppose such efforts, further highlighting the need for Georgian Dream’s dominance in the parliament.
Ivanishvili also stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in Georgia, “especially given the ongoing regional conflicts”. He cautioned that any misstep could jeopardize the country’s future and urged citizens to vote for Georgian Dream to ensure that Georgia remains on a path of stability and progress.
In his closing remarks, Ivanishvili called on all citizens who value peace, stability, and traditional Georgian values to participate in the October 26 elections. He emphasized that the fate of Georgia was at stake, urging voters to “set aside narrow political differences” and “focus on securing the nation’s future for the next generation”.
