Opposition leader claims Russia pressured Ivanishvili to halt Georgia’s EU integration

Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, has made serious allegations regarding Georgia’s political direction, claiming that Russia has instructed Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, to limit Georgia’s progress toward the EU integration. According to Japaridze, Moscow reportedly told Ivanishvili that Georgia should not move beyond candidate status for EU membership and that the country must be “cleansed” of Western influence.

Japaridze argued that Ivanishvili’s actions go beyond simply maintaining his political power. He believes that Russia’s influence is driving a broader agenda to dismantle Western influence in Georgia, as evidenced by actions such as the adoption of the controversial “foreign agents” law, the targeting of opposition parties, and the repression of independent media and civil society.

He believes these steps mirror Russia’s own methods of suppressing dissent, with the eventual goal of eliminating civil society, critical media, and opposition parties in Georgia. Japaridze pointed out that Georgia’s Western allies are beginning to understand that the situation is not merely about maintaining power but is indicative of a deeper, Russian-backed agenda.