Georgian PM: ‘unlike in 2023–2024, society no longer blindly follows EU or US ambassadors”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said Georgian society was more independent-minded and no longer blindly followed statements from the European Union or US ambassadors - a shift he described as one of the Government’s main achievements.

Speaking in an interview with Rustavi 2, Kobakhidze reflected on the role of political parties, media, and NGOs in past revolutionary attempts. He noted that, historically, foreign intelligence agencies and local political actors used a combination of these instruments to influence protests, later shifting tactics to rely heavily on NGOs.

Kobakhidze emphasised the impact of legislative changes and reduced foreign funding, including the closure of USAID and NED programmes, which limited the ability of NGOs to act as tools of foreign influence. He also criticised the way some NGOs were previously labeled as “civil society,” calling it a misleading term used to manipulate public perception.

“People were misled for years - young and old alike. Back then, even neutral citizens felt pressured to follow the statements of the US or EU ambassadors, no matter how false they were. One of our main achievements today is that society no longer thinks that way,” Kobakhidze said.

He added that society now evaluates statements independently, focusing on truth and national interest rather than the source.

“For example, when the EU spokesperson supported the overthrow rally, Georgian society did not follow it blindly. Unlike in 2023 and 2024, when the falsehoods of the EU and US ambassadors caused unrest, today society thinks differently. This is one of our key achievements,” Kobakhidze said.