Opposition parties in Georgia accuse Gov’t of political persecution in joint statement

Seven Georgian opposition parties on Friday issued a joint statement condemning what they described as intensified political persecution by the ruling Georgian Dream, accusing the Government of corruption, family separations through fabricated cases and steering the country away from Europe and calling on citizens to continue peaceful protests until democratic rule is restored.

The opposition accused the Government of systematic sabotage of the state and of enriching officials at citizens’ expense, claiming these policies were pushing Georgia away from the West and leaving the country isolated vis-à-vis Russia. They also said the administration was politicising education, healthcare and social services to preserve power through administrative control and repression.

Despite those measures, the joint statement said, public protest had not been crushed. The parties said the Government had lost popular, international and moral legitimacy and relied solely on repression and disinformation to stay in power.

The opposition called for the immediate release of what they termed unfairly detained individuals - naming writers, doctors, students, actors and politicians - and demanded new, fair elections. They pledged to continue a peaceful struggle to remove what they called a corrupt, criminal regime and restore authority to the Georgian people.

Signatories to the declaration included Akhali, Girchi - More Freedom, Droa, the National Democratic Party, European Georgia, Freedom Square and the Federalists.