“It is reassuring that the public has also recognised that it is not solely the government voicing these concerns. The direct participants in this story are now speaking out about how public emotions were exploited, their interests manipulated, and actions taken against them,” said MP Levan Makhashvili, Chairman of the Parliament’s European Integration Committee.

According to him, such tactics are not occurring under the new U.S. administration, which he views positively.

“These methods did not truly surprise us. They are tactics commonly employed by intelligence agencies worldwide. What was particularly disheartening was that our neighbour, Ukraine, unfortunately, fell victim to these manipulations. Even more troubling and shocking is that Georgia has also become a victim of similar manipulations and covert operations. It is encouraging that the public has finally realised that it is not only the government speaking through its information channels, but also the direct participants themselves are now acknowledging these manipulations: how the public emotions were exploited, their interests distorted, and, most importantly, how processes were initiated against their interests.

On the other hand, the public also sees that such actions are noticeably absent under the new administration, which is a positive development. After all, what one expects from a strategic partner is a normal, cooperative attitude, not the conduct of covert operations by special forces and intelligence agencies,” Makhashvili explained.

Retired U.S. Army Colonel and former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of State (2001–2005), Lawrence Wilkerson, spoke on “how the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) used the media and non-governmental organisations.”