PM: youth permanently engaged in anti-Transparency Bill protests “insincere”, linked to opposition

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has voiced skepticism regarding the sincerity of the youth who have been continuously participating in ongoing protests against the controversial foreign transparency bill in Tbilisi. Kobakhidze alleged that these individuals were affiliated with the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party.

In an open letter addressed to what he termed as “earnest young individuals,” Kobakhidze expressed his concerns over the presence of aggressive youth groups purportedly backed by former Defence Minister David Kezerashvili, who is currently wanted, and foreign donors utilizing “obscure” financial channels.

The Prime Minister noted that the protests had consistently drawn crowds of up to 10,000 individuals. He criticized media outlets aligned with the UNM for highlighting the youthfulness and sincerity of many protestors while depicting the government as indifferent to their concerns. Kobakhidze emphasized a “crucial aspect often overlooked,” namely the presence of factions within the protests promoting “dishonest nationalist sentiments”.

These factions, according to Kobakhidze, have ties to opposition figures such as Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, and Mamuka Khazaradze. 

He identified “several aggressive youth organizations”, including Shame, Franklin’s Club and Students for the European Future, as being associated with these opposition figures. Kobakhidze estimated that these groups, along with direct party affiliates, comprised around 200 activists and form the core of the more confrontational elements within the protests.

However, Kobakhidze also acknowledged the presence of “sincere young individuals” among the protestors. He recognized that these youths genuinely believed in the righteousness of their cause and view their participation in the demonstrations as meaningful and important.