Georgian opposition leader claims new movement's rhetoric risks inciting violence

Georgian opposition politician Nika Gvaramia has accused a newly launched movement advocating the defence of traditional values of promoting violence, warning that its rhetoric could encourage vigilante-style attacks.

In a social media post on Monday, Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, criticised comments made by MMA fighter Giorgi Kartvelishvili, who earlier today announced the creation of a movement aimed at defending Georgia's traditional values, culture and Orthodox Christian faith.

Gvaramia said Kartvelishvili's statements amounted to "incitement to mass violence and retaliation under the guise of pseudo-morality" rather than the creation of a "morality police."

He argued that neither physical strength nor support from the authorities would shield those promoting violence from its consequences, warning against what he described as a return to the violent practices of the 1990s.

Gvaramia also cited the biblical passage, "All who draw the sword will die by the sword," arguing that attempts to justify violence in the name of tradition or religion would ultimately end in tragedy.