Gakharia for Georgia’s Chanturia: Anti-Abkhazian remarks by opposition figures are foolish, anti-Georgian, and designed to help the ruling party retain power

“The statements made by Nika Gvaramia, Mikheil Saakashvili, Gia Baramidze, and others are not merely anti-Abkhazian; they are fundamentally anti-Georgian and utterly foolish. Anyone in this country who genuinely seeks reconciliation between Abkhazians and Georgians, and envisions a peaceful, shared state, must refrain from making such provocative, idiotic remarks,” declared Giorgi Chanturia, a member of the Gakharia For Georgia party.

Chanturia was asked to comment on recent controversial remarks by Nika Gvaramia, a leader of the Ahali party, who claimed: “Abkhazians do not like Georgians and, let’s be honest, we do not like Abkhazians either. We are enemies right now, and enmity cannot be replaced by love; that has never happened anywhere.”

Evaluating Gvaramia’s stance, Chanturia suggested the opposition figure was craving media attention after failing to achieve results as a self-styled leader, with voters seeing through his political games.

Chanturia warned that such reckless rhetoric directly plays into the hands of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

“I am convinced Nika Gvaramia is starved of attention because, as an opposition politician and supposed leader, he has delivered nothing. Everyone can see who he has sold out to and the games he is playing within the opposition spectrum. Consequently, these outbursts from Gvaramia appear to be part of a deliberate campaign that will likely continue.

This individual has carved out a niche for himself in the opposition through two things: helping Georgian Dream cling to power, and spouting these idiotic statements. He knows full well that our national policy is centred on reconciliation, and that the future of both Georgians and Abkhazians hinges upon it. Such statements directly damage our national interests.

I advise these figures to speak less nonsense, because ultimately every statement of this nature helps Georgian Dream remain in office. Even his own voters know exactly who and what Nika Gvaramia is. First, Baramidze uttered that outrageous phrase, and then Gvaramia followed suit. At first, we assumed they were simply blurting out spontaneous nonsense, but it has become clear they are orchestrating a campaign solely to grab headlines. These individuals act as political plants within the opposition who will say any absurdity to preserve Georgian Dream’s grip on power,” Chanturia concluded.