Ex-PM Gakharia’s party accuses Georgian Dream of ‘provoking civil strife’, ‘distorting history’

The opposition party Gakharia for Georgia on Wednesday accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of “deliberately provoking internal conflict” and engaging in a “hybrid war” against its own citizens.

The allegations emerged amid heightened tensions on the anniversary of April 9, 1989, which marks the Soviet military crackdown that killed 21 Georgian civilians. In their statements commemorating the event, the GD officials avoided directly naming Russia or the Soviet Union, instead referring to a “foreign power.” Notably, they also accused a “foreign power” – this time allegedly referencing the West – of “stirring confrontations and protests in the country”, as demonstrators gathered at the April 9 memorial in Tbilisi, accusing the GD authorities of aligning with Russian interests.

In its comments, the Gakharia for Georgia party alleged the government, along with its honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili, “bears full responsibility for fostering division” within Georgian society. The party further noted the actions of the GD were “contributing to civil strife and undermining Georgia’s sovereignty”.

“The self-proclaimed GD government and its honorary chairman cannot escape responsibility for the confrontation between the population and the hybrid war waged against its own citizens,” the statement read.

The party further criticised the ruling party’s stance on foreign policy, claiming that it drew “a sign of equality between Georgia’s enemies and friends.” In a direct reference to Russia, the statement accused Georgian Dream of attempting to reframe the Kremlin as a neutral foreign state, despite Russia’s continued occupation of Georgian territory.

“Describing a friend as an enemy and an enemy as a friend is a treacherous act,” the statement continued, adding that “Georgian history never forgives anyone for such distortions”.

The opposition party also expressed alarm over what it described as a renewed effort by the ruling government to “rewrite Georgian history” and “discredit the nation’s long-standing struggle for independence”.

“The GD actually denies the history of Georgia’s struggle for freedom and independence, the courage and sacrifice of the Georgian people,” the statement asserted.