New party pledges “neutral status” for Georgia, citing “pressure from abroad”

A group of political figures has announced plans to establish a new party called United Neutral Georgia, arguing that the country must declare neutrality to protect its sovereignty and economic interests.

Co-founder Vato Shakarishvili said the decision came amid what he described as unprecedented pressure from abroad, government “inaction” and the “anti-Georgian activity” of the opposition.

“We can no longer rely on a government living in a euro-illusion, nor on a rootless, agent-driven opposition,” Shakarishvili told a press briefing.

He said a founding congress will be held in the coming weeks, after which preparations will begin for the parliamentary elections.

Shakarishvili argued that adopting formal neutrality would recognize Georgia’s sovereignty and leverage its geographic advantages to attract the attention of leading global powers.

He claimed that Georgia should not become a tool of “any single country or alliance,” but instead demonstrate that its peace, stability and economic growth could benefit all major players.

“Using our geopolitical position intelligently would allow us to draw interest not only from partner countries and Russia but also from the populations of the occupied territories,” he said, referring to Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.