Former Prime Minister and Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, on Wednesday, said launching pre-election regional meetings from Mtskheta was ‘symbolic’ as “It was from Mtskheta that Parnavaz unified our country.”
“Greetings to the people of Mtskheta, Dusheti, Tianeti, Mkhevi, Pshavi, Khevsureti, Gudamakari, and the internally displaced persons from the Tskhinvali region. Warm greetings to all citizens of our nation who proudly represent the stunning region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti.
It is symbolic that we begin the pre-election meetings of the Georgian Dream in the regions here in Mtskheta, the historical capital of Georgia:
It was from Mtskheta that Parnavaz unified our country and established the first united Georgian state; the Lord’s Robe is preserved in Mtskheta; the first Georgian Christian cathedral was built in Mtskheta; the Mother Cathedral of Georgia, Svetitskhoveli, is located in Mtskheta; it was in Mtskheta that Christianity was declared the state religion, firmly establishing Georgia’s Christian and European identity; the great Georgian Patriarchs and Kings are laid to rest in Mtskheta. Here lie the first Christian King and Queen of Georgia, Nana and Mirian, and here rests Erekle the Second, whose wisdom preserved Georgia’s European and Christian identity. As Lado Asatiani said, the “hot heart” of Georgia beats in the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a pulse that will never cease,” Ivanishvili asserted.
In his address, Ivanishvili said, “Today, Georgia faces challenges no less complex than those of the past three millennia. Safeguarding peace, dignity, sovereignty, Christian values, and the country’s bright future still requires constant vigilance. The parliamentary elections on October 26th are pivotal in this regard.”
“The Georgian heart and spirit are immortal. It is this heart and soul that have preserved our homeland’s freedom and identity throughout three millennia in an incredibly challenging environment. Mtskheta and every corner of Mtskheta-Mtianeti are extraordinary treasures of our country, steadfastly protecting the Georgian soul and heart, Georgia’s dignity, freedom, and identity, as well as our unique Georgian culture, with exceptional fortitude and diligence. This is the homeland of the 300 Aragvians, a land that will never bow to anyone and will always place dignity, love for the motherland, and Christian values above all else,” he noted.
Ex-PM believes “the parliamentary elections on October 26th serve as a referendum in which our fellow citizens must choose between war and peace, slavery and freedom, moral decay and Christian values, and a dark past versus a bright, European future for our country.”
“In these elections, we have a far greater task than merely winning. The Georgian Dream’s objective is to secure a victory equivalent to a constitutional majority, which will successfully address not only Georgia’s short-term but also long-term national goals.
Yesterday, an extensive statement was released on behalf of our team explaining why we need a constitutional majority, and I want to clarify our position before you once again today:
First, the Georgian Dream needs a constitutional majority to bring the United National Movement to justice. We need a constitutional majority to rid the country once and for all of the severe affliction that has plagued it for two decades. We will initiate a legal process that will result in the banning of both the United National Movement and all its satellite and successor parties, for which there are ample legal grounds.
The United National Movement has committed numerous crimes against its own country and people. During their time in power, their signature was authoritarianism, murder and torture of individuals, extortion of businesses, seizure of television stations, election fraud, and many other crimes that cannot go unpunished.
In 2008, they drew Georgia into a war that cost our country 20 per cent of its territories, claimed the lives of over 400 of our citizens, and displaced 30,000 Georgians.
Most importantly, the collective United National Movement is still pulling Georgia towards chaos and war, which makes their prosecution even more crucial now. We will not allow our country to navigate an ever-present minefield; therefore, we must pursue accountability for the United National Movement.
The October 26th elections should become a Nuremberg-like trial for the United National Movement, where the constitutional majority of the Georgian people will pass due judgment on this union of stateless politicians and foreign agents willing to sign any anti-state assignment. With a constitutional majority, no external shield will be able to save the collective United National Movement from deserved punishment. Healthy elections in Georgia will only be held after patriotic political forces replace the collective United National Movement in the political system.
The second reason we need a constitutional majority: After obtaining a constitutional majority, the Georgian Dream will pass a constitutional Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors, which will counter LGBT propaganda and other manifestations of pseudo-liberal ideology. Georgia will prohibit at the constitutional level the so-called civil partnerships of same-sex couples, adoption of children by LGBT couples, gender reassignment surgeries, LGBT propaganda in media or schools, and more.
Anti-Christian forces are trying to erase all identity from nations, states, and individuals. Their goal is to turn humans into beings devoid of dignity and morality, with no national, religious, or personal identity. A person should not even know whether they are a man or a woman. Pseudo-liberal ideology has already had severe consequences in many countries, and therefore, we must fundamentally oppose its spread in Georgia, no matter how strong the external pressure on this issue may be.
Third, the political situation in the world and our region is changing dynamically. The issue of restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity could arise at any moment, potentially prompting necessary revisions to the country’s constitution. In the event of territorial reunification, the country’s governance system and territorial arrangement must be revised, which is impossible without constitutional amendments. Even at such a time, the collective United National Movement will inevitably act against national interests and obstruct the restoration of territorial integrity, which cannot be allowed. Therefore, the Georgian Dream must secure a constitutional majority in the next parliament to facilitate any necessary constitutional changes for territorial reunification without obstacles.
The more votes the Georgian Dream secures on October 26, the stronger peace will be in our country. This will lead to a calmer November and December, foster stability over the next four years, reduce obstacles to national progress and economic development, and expedite the resetting of relations with our Western partners.
That is why I want to appeal once again to each of our fellow citizens who cherish peace in Georgia, the country’s stability, and traditional values: on October 26, let us come out in full force and create a solid foundation for protecting Georgia’s national identity and ensuring our country’s bright future.
Once again, I urge each of our fellow citizens who hold the country dear, to set everything aside and come out to vote. Put aside all narrow political issues, because these elections are not about politics, but about saving the country. Everything is in our hands, Georgia’s fate is in our hands, and we must do everything to save the country and leave a free, independent, united, and strong Georgia for future generations to govern,” he added.
