Opposition figure: Gov't preparing Georgia for handover to Russia

Giorgi Butikashvili, a member of the Coalition for Change, has accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of steering the country toward Russian influence and preparing the public for an eventual formal handover to Moscow.

"Butikashvili stated that Georgian Dream has deliberately chosen Russia’s path and is aligning itself with Kremlin-style governance, with the intention of fully transitioning Georgia under Russian control."

According to him, the ruling party is currently laying the groundwork through a narrative strategy aimed at conditioning public opinion.

"Polls show that even 30% of Georgian Dream's own voters believe in the so-called 'deep state'. This indicates that the party is failing to convince even its base. They cannot offer proof or create a visual reality to support their claims, and vague collective narratives are no longer persuasive," Butikashvili said.

He emphasized that the party’s ambitions are clear: to finalize authoritarian rule in Georgia in alignment with the Kremlin’s interests. "For Bidzina Ivanishvili to succeed in handing over the country to Russia and establishing full authoritarianism, society must first be narratively prepared. The government needs to fabricate explanations to justify such actions," he concluded.