Ex-PM Garibashvili: When all seemed hopeless, Bidzina Ivanishvili emerged and led us to victory

At a regional campaign event in Zugdidi, Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Garibashvili reflected on the dire state of Georgia before October 1, 2012, emphasizing the “brutality” of the government led by the now-opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM).

Garibashvili accused the former regime of widespread violence, the torture of innocent people, suppression of free speech, and illegal property seizures. He also drew attention to the suffering in regions like Samegrelo, where, according to him, citizens endured many tragedies under the previous administration.

Garibashvili strongly condemned the “criminal acts” of the Saakashvili government, citing “war, territorial losses, and the ceding of Georgian villages to Russia.” He remarked that the public had nearly lost hope in overcoming what he described as an “evil force” until Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream, stepped forward.

According to Garibashvili, Ivanishvili’s leadership delivered a historic victory on October 1, liberating the Georgian people from oppression and rescuing the country from chaos.