“Every country’s experience is instructive, all the more so those which demonstrate that resistance is possible even under autocratic regimes, and that such regimes can be changed by peaceful means. That said, there is nothing new in the Hungarian example for our political force,” said MP Giorgi Sharashdize, member of the party Gakharia for Georgia.

According to Sharashdize, Gakharia has consistently demonstrated through his actions that elections are the sole route to a change of government for Georgia.

“If some opposition leader or party has only just discovered this and needed the Hungarian example to work it out, that is their problem. Better late than never, and it is, of course, welcome if they genuinely hold that view today. They will inevitably have to enter the elections from a significantly weakened position. It was their own decision, when, by boycotting the municipal elections, which we regarded at the time as an entirely irresponsible and futile step, they effectively handed local government in all 64 municipalities to Georgian Dream on a plate. Today, there is no one left on the city councils to report back. And this at a time when we had a real opportunity, through a united effort, for the opposition to hold the decisive vote in the majority of municipalities. The Hungarian example also highlights the vital importance of addressing citizens’ socio-economic challenges. Where, if not in the city councils, should our citizens’ problems be resolved? They abandoned those councils and did not even consider it worth their while to contest the elections.

After that irresponsible conduct, we were the ones reprimanded, blackmailed, and called every name under the sun, simply because our political party dared to participate in the elections. Participation in elections is the primary duty of every party. And yet, it seems, they needed the Hungarian example to grasp that elections are the only way. Let them speak for themselves about their own prospects. We have our own path, and we follow it consistently, demonstrated not merely in words but in deeds. In their case, we see precisely the opposite. This is not a criticism or an attack; these are simply facts. Salome Zourabichvili openly called on people not to go to the polls. Her words were: ‘Do not go to the elections, come to Rustaveli instead of going to the elections.’ And what awaited people on Rustaveli? What had been announced? A ‘peaceful overthrow.’ We all saw very clearly what that ‘peaceful overthrow’ produced on October 4: a weakened opposition, a strengthened autocratic regime, and dozens of additional political prisoners, the majority of whom, in our assessment, are serving sentences for crimes they did not commit,” Sharashdize declared.