“We’re not just fighting the Georgian Dream. There’s also the problem of Bidzina’s fifth column within our ranks, that is, those individuals who, under the guise of ‘opposition experts’ and ‘opposition politicians’, are deliberately attempting to sow despair, nihilism and to extinguish the desire for action amongst the people,” stated Paata Manjgaladze, a member of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli opposition party.

According to him, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s fifth column consists of those individuals who foment nihilism amongst the population.

“How to recognise a ‘GD supporter’ in our ranks? Here are the GD’s narratives:

‘Bidzina has everything planned, he knows everything’ aims to kindle hopelessness amongst the people, to establish the myth of Bidzina’s invincibility.

‘Where are the opposition leaders?’ is for sowing doubt when many leaders are detained or blocked, and aims to confuse the people deliberately.

‘Nothing will happen on October 4, there’s no plan, there’s no leader’ aims at despair with the covert message ‘stay at home’.

‘Radical statements are unacceptable, they’ll increase confrontation’ aims at intimidation.

‘We’ll avoid protest rallies, we’ll build proper resistance’ aims at distraction and buying time for the regime.

‘The aims of Paata Burchuladze’s and Levan Khabeishvili’s rallies are unclear’ is to disorient society.

‘There’s no need for radicalism, Bidzina will announce elections in spring anyway and will release political prisoners too’ aims to pacify anger and protest.

‘If we don’t have a clear picture of the future government, we can’t support it’ aims at distraction, sowing division and portraying organisers as fighting for seats.

‘We must have accepted mandates and fight from within’ aims at acceptance of being a systemic opposition for Bidzina.

And finally, they have answers to everything, they criticise everyone but take responsibility for nothing.

This is how Bidzina’s fifth column operates. They aim to sow despair, confuse the people, breed doubt and keep them at home. Let’s not follow them, let’s stand together on October 4 on Rustaveli and show whose Georgia this is,” declared Paata Manjgaladze.