The leader of the For Georgia party, Giorgi Gakharia, has called on Pia Kauma, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, to reconsider the purpose and timing of her planned visit to Tbilisi.
“I am reaching out with deep concern regarding your planned visit to Tbilisi during this critical stage of Georgia’s political crisis. While your leadership as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is appreciated, the timing and context of this visit raise significant questions about its potential impact on the Georgian people’s fight for justice and the country’s European future,” Gakharia stated in his open letter.
The statement says for 39 days, the Georgian people have been holding peaceful protests, demonstrating resilience and determination in their fight for justice, accountability, and the restoration of Georgia’s European path. During this sensitive period, Gakharia emphasized, it is vital for Georgia’s allies to provide support that affirms the international community’s recognition and active backing of the people’s struggle against authoritarianism.
However, Gakharia warned that under ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili’s regime, such visits carry the risk of being used as propaganda to create a false impression of legitimacy. He highlighted the regime’s consistent disregard for democratic norms and international standards, as well as its record of rewarding individuals implicated in human rights violations instead of holding them accountable.
“In these critical times, any engagement with the regime must be based on clear and unwavering conditions,” Gakharia stressed. He outlined two key prerequisites for dialogue: the immediate and unconditional release of all unlawfully detained political prisoners and a focus on the urgent necessity of holding new, free, and fair elections. Without these conditions, any interaction risks legitimizing the regime’s repressive actions and further entrenching authoritarianism.
Gakharia urged Kauma to reconsider the purpose and timing of her visit to ensure it aligns with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s mission of promoting democracy, accountability, and human rights. He emphasized that, while dialogue is essential, the visit in its current form risks undermining the goals it seeks to achieve.
In addition to Gakharia’s letter, three opposition coalitions also appealed to Kauma, urging her to postpone the visit.
