Georgian Dream Official Threatens Harsh Treatment of Party Members Accused of Betrayal

Dimitri Samkharadze, regional secretary of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party, has warned that members accused of undermining the party or accepting payments from foreign interests will face harsh consequences, accusing opposition forces of attempting to recruit disloyal figures within the ruling party.

In a strongly worded social media post, Samkharadze claimed that opposition groups, weakened by political defeats, were seeking to exploit divisions within Georgian Dream.

“Frustrated by their defeat, the opposition, which has been reduced to nothing, is trying to find weak and cowardly individuals within our ranks and turn them against the party,” Samkharadze wrote.

“The good thing is that we identify such rats in time,” he added.

Samkharadze accused what he described as foreign-backed opposition groups of attempting to undermine Georgia’s independence and sovereignty by recruiting individuals from within Georgian Dream, which was founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.

He argued that political opponents unable to gain sufficient public support were instead trying to weaken the ruling party from within.

Referring to former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who left Georgian Dream and subsequently established his own political party, Samkharadze suggested that previous departures and expulsions demonstrated how the party dealt with internal dissent.

“Starting with Gakharia’s example, and now with certain individuals leaving or being expelled from our large family, I want everyone to know that we never forget the struggle of any loyal soldier of Georgian Dream,” he wrote.

He said the party remained committed to the political course established by Ivanishvili, which he described as aimed at strengthening Georgia’s prosperity, independence and sovereignty.

Samkharadze also recalled the party’s early political struggle in 2011 and 2012, saying its members remained proud of that period.

However, he issued a particularly sharp warning to individuals he accused of spreading rumours, damaging the party or accepting money from foreign interests.

“We have not forgotten 2011–2012, and we are proud of those years. But those who spread rumours, harm the party or are bought off by foreigners will be treated as they deserve – harshly and painfully,” Samkharadze wrote.

The Georgian Dream official did not identify the individuals he was referring to or provide evidence to substantiate his allegations of foreign payments and attempts to recruit party members.