GD Says it Departs PES Due to Ideological Differences

“We have made a decision to leave the status of observer member of the “Party of European Socialists” and other associations related to… [them] , in connection with which we will immediately send our written statement to the “Party of European Socialists”, – said Irakli Kobakhidze, chairman of the “Georgian Dream”, during a briefing following the Political Council session on May 11.

Irakli Kobakhidze cited the PES’s “ideological transformation” in recent years as the reason for the ruling party’s decision. He explained that the party was moving further away from classical social-democratic ideology and towards a “pseudo-liberal platform”, which he believed deepens the value crisis in the modern world. “This kind of ideological transformation of the “Party of European Socialists” is unacceptable to us and incompatible with the values and visions of our party, as well as the Georgian society” – he noted.

Furthermore, the chairman of the “Georgian Dream” stated that top officials in PES harshly criticized Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s attendance at the annual conference of the Conservative Political Action in Budapest, which had the motto “God, Fatherland, Family.” He also reported that PES threatened to review their cooperation without any prior bilateral communication. Kobakhidze found this action and attitude unacceptable, noting: “This kind of action and attitude of the leaders of the “Party of European Socialists” is fundamentally unacceptable to us”.

Irakli Kobakhidze reported that since “Georgian Dream” became an observer member of the European Socialist Party in 2015, the group has not made any significant statements in support of his party. Furthermore, some individual representatives of PES have actively joined political campaigns in support of the radical opposition.

Kobakhidze stressed that previously individual representatives of PES had supported “absurd” resolutions, “by which the European Parliament demanded the imposition of sanctions against the founder of our party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the release of two criminals, Mikheil Saakashvili and Nika Gvaramia, and the termination of the criminal case against another criminal, Davit Kezerashvili”. He also noted that PES had never condemned these absurd resolutions passed by its member European Parliamentarians.

According to Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream’s membership in the “Party of European Socialists” did not positively contribute to Georgia’s path towards European integration. Instead, it had a counterproductive effect. “”As of today, “Georgian Dream” will cooperate with all European political parties on an equal footing in order to achieve the foreign policy goals we have set for our country, society and government,” he added.

Prime Minister’s Statement

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili responded to the decision to withdraw from the Party of European Socialists while talking to the press and said that “this party, this union, has slowly transformed and our paths have diverged, the same [happened in the] ideological part, the same in their politics, their statements, their support.” . He also emphasized that “Georgian Dream” had “zero support” from the PES.

According to him, the “first crack” appeared when the PES representatives supported the “shameful resolution” adopted by the European Parliament, in which “they wrote about us that it turns out that the leader of our party, Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili, is a problem for the country, the man who brought this peace and saved the country. And the man who brought the occupation to the country, brought back the Russian army, surrendered 20% and caused thousands of problems for the Georgian people, tortured, raped, harmed them, it turns out that this [Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Chairmanship] is an injustice”.

“There were many misunderstandings… I went to the meeting of the American Republican Party in Hungary, to CPAC, where the presidents of America and congressmen go, a lot of prominent politicians, and they condemned my participation, they dedicated two statements that how dare I turn out, they said that I used anti-LGBT phrases and that I participated in the national conservative conference,” he said, adding, “Excuse me, friends, we are like this, we want such a Georgia, we are such people, defenders of conservative, national, family values, and if they want us to cease to exist because of this, then goodbye, we wish them success”.

The Prime Minister stated that the situation has reached a point of maturity and “nothing is happening here”. The Party of European Socialists also announced a review of its partnership with Georgian Dream. The Prime Minister expressed his frustration, saying that if the parties were partners and claimed collegiality, the PES should have talked to them and explained what they were doing wrong, instead of acting in an “offensive manner and issuing such statements.

“Therefore, it was unacceptable. Everything that is offensive to us and our people, and whoever wants to oppress our people and such an attitude, we will punish them tenfold, everyone. This should be our response,” Irakli Garibashvili noted, adding that the ruling party would consult, observe and cooperate with other conservative parties.

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