“Today, October 1st, marks the Day of Regaining Freedom, a day that signifies the unprecedented unity of Georgia and its people throughout our nation’s long and storied history. This day represents a major victory in the annals of independent Georgia and epitomizes the restoration of dignity by the Georgian populace!” Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream party, said in a statement.

According to Ivanishvili’s statement, October 1st does not belong to any individual or political party; rather, it belongs to the Georgian people, the citizens of Georgia.

“October 1, 2012, stands as one of the foundational cornerstones of our history, one of the principal justifications for the existence of the Georgian people. It is a day that epitomizes the Georgian spirit and the legacy of our ancestors—no matter how formidable the adversary, whether internal or external, when it comes to defending the dignity and freedom of our people, there simply is no turning back!

Dignity and freedom are red lines for Georgians, a Rubicon that must never be crossed. However, if one dares to traverse this river, the united strength of the Georgian people, the children of Georgia, will sweep you away!

October 1 belongs not to any party or individual; it belongs to the Georgian people and the citizens of Georgia, who, through this remarkable unity and alongside the Georgian Dream, washed away the shameful black stain that suffocated our ability to breathe freely, express ourselves, fight for truth, live with dignity, care for our families and loved ones, work, engage in business, pursue education, and age gracefully,” the statement reads.

Ivanishvili emphasized that patriotism encompasses not merely defending the homeland with arms but, importantly, having the courage to speak out against injustice during the most challenging moments, particularly when others might shy away from doing so.

“We dared! We achieved the impossible! If, in 2011, at the onset of my political journey, people hesitated to step into the streets and gather, by September 29, 2012, at least half a million patriots flooded the streets of Tbilisi to demonstrate that we fear neither man nor circumstance. And on October 1st, we flocked to the polls en masse, not only to survive but to triumph!

By harnessing this unity, we overcame evil with goodness and falsehood with truth, all without bloodshed. It was this extraordinary unity of our people that the regime of the time and their foreign sponsors could not withstand! This day stands as a foundation for our collective pride—a symbol of the unity of Georgian citizens and the strength of that unity!

This day belongs to us, just like May 26 and April 9!

Our homeland expresses gratitude for all this, and I, too, am grateful—as your comrade-in-arms, as a Georgian man!

I take this opportunity to thank every member of the Georgian Dream, every comrade-in-arms, and supporter. I extend my gratitude to all who fearlessly stood with us on October 1st, traversing the mined fields with dignity over the past 12 years and enduring all manner of pressure to stand beside us once more today!

On October 1, 2012, the wheel of Georgia’s history turned forward. We not only vanquished the authoritarian regime and reclaimed our country, but since that day, following the ascension of the Georgian Dream to power, we have fundamentally improved the situation across all sectors—be it human rights, the judiciary, the economy, or others. This progress is evidenced not only by our statements and the sense of well-being our citizens experience but also by international ratings that show our country’s continued advancement!

There is not a single sector about which even the most biased observer could claim that conditions were better before 2012 and have since declined. This is a factual reality that our adversaries seek to conceal, distort, and ignore, yet the Georgian people perceive all that transpires.

The tangible progress we all observe is the result not only of our efforts and dedication but also of our navigation along the tightrope we have traversed over the past 12 years and continue to tread today.

Indeed, until recently, we refrained from discussing this topic publicly to avoid disheartening the populace. However, from October 1, 2012, to the present day, Georgia and the Georgian Dream government have had to walk this tightrope to maintain continuous peace within the country, amidst constant attempts by external and internal enemies to incite revolutions and disrupt our nation—to prevent a recurrence of the turmoil experienced in neighbouring Ukraine and what we endured in 2008. We aim to avert a torrent of violence raining down upon our cities, villages, and children!

The public needs to understand that while navigating this tightrope, our primary struggle remains centred on our independence, peace, freedom, and the protection of our faith, culture, history, and those values for which we united on October 1, 2012! Our political team has successfully led Georgia and its people to victory, achieving 12 years of continuous peace. As we approach the concluding stretch of this arduous path, we must demonstrate to the world once again an unprecedented example of unity by mobilizing en masse for the October 26 elections. We must ensure that no one casts even the slightest doubt on the support of the Georgian populace for the Georgian Dream.

Let it be clear that the people of Georgia choose not war—but peace; not foreign agents—but a team that safeguards the interests of the Georgian people; not pseudo-liberal values—but values rooted in nationalism, family, faith, and independence; not the downright unacceptable reality that radical opposition and foreign actors wish to present as Europeanism—but the dignified European future of our country!

Thus, it is essential that in the parliamentary elections on October 26, Georgian Dream secures a constitutional majority. A constitutional majority is necessary to: first, declare the collective National Movement unconstitutional, and then hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law—this regime not only terrorized, murdered, and tortured its own populace but also brought the spectre of war upon them; to ensure that Georgia is governed by a government elected by our people, not by the collective National Movement, which is infused with agents of foreign forces; and to collectively fulfil our long-held dream of witnessing our homeland united once more on the path of peace, based on reconciliation and mutual forgiveness.

Furthermore, we aim to put an end to the continuous attempts to insult and demean our family values, nationality, and faith, and to enshrine in our constitution the role of the Orthodox Church as the pillar of Georgia’s statehood, independent and protective of the Orthodox faith!

On October 26, the agenda is not merely about political affiliations but about the question of Georgia’s existence—its very essence! We owe it to God and our homeland to leave an independent and peaceful Georgia to our children and future generations. Therefore, on October 26, we must unite again and achieve victory! Our only path leads toward Europe, solely through peace, dignity, and prosperity! Long live a united, strong, and glorious Georgia!” — concludes Bidzina Ivanishvili’s statement.