Politicians React to Prime Minister’s Annual Report Hearing

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili presented the government’s annual report to the Georgian Parliament and responded to MPs’ questions on June 30. During his extensive speech, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili labeled the United National Movement (UNM) as a “party of war” while emphasizing their purported acts of sabotage on numerous occasions. The major part of his discourse was dedicated to showcasing the accomplishments of the GD Government throughout 2022 and outlining forthcoming plans for the country’s economic, social, cultural, and overall development.

• 01/07/2023 – PM Presented Annual Report in Parliament

We compiled the reactions from Georgian politicians to the PM’s hearing.

Remarks by the ruling party

Irakli Kobakhidze, Leader of the “Georgian Dream”: “The opposition ran away from the debates for a simple reason – they have nothing to say; all previous debates with the Prime Minister ended with a score of 10 to 0 in favor of the Prime Minister. The expectation was the same now, and they were correct again. The public once again saw that this debate also ended with the same score”.

Archil Talakvadze, “Georgian Dream”: “Today, the Prime Minister of Georgia spoke in this hall about the following: First, the security and peace of Georgia have been inexorably protected in our country throughout the period of our government. He also spoke, and our entire political team takes responsibility for this, that this will be the case in the future as well when we continue to lead the country together with our society. The second thing that the Prime Minister said is the double-digit economic growth that Georgia had even before the war, but this economic growth became more difficult to maintain under the conditions of that difficult crisis and Russian military aggression that we have now in the region, but Georgia has been able to do it today under the leadership of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. … It has also become clear in this hall today that Georgia has a much better and stronger democracy than it did ten years ago”.

Mikheil Sarjveladze, “Georgian Dream”: “The Prime Minister’s annual report is perfect. There is no critical issue for the country today that has not been discussed today. Challenges and visions for the future were also discussed”.

Irakli Beraia, “Georgian Dream”: “The progress the country has made under the leadership of the Prime Minister in strengthening its security and defense capabilities is impressive. Today, the government has to perform strategic tasks in the most difficult geopolitical reality, when the ecosystem of threats in which Georgia is located has become even more complex with the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the emergence of new challenges… there are tangible consequences in all directions”.

Remarks by the opposition

Nika Melia, “United National Movement”: “What is happening today in the Parliament is a spectacle without talent. It is obvious to every family that the ‘report’ of the pseudo-Prime Minister is a fake and a lie”.

Tinatin Bokuchava, “United National Movement”: “[The Prime Minister’s] rhetoric, actions, [and] work are based on hatred, violence, and lies. These are the three elements … with which they are trying to Russify the country, to deprive our country of its European future”.

Khatia Dekanoidze, political group “Euro-optimists”: “To tell you the truth, I did not expect anything special from Irakli Garibashvili today because all his motivation and creativity is to deepen polarization, to sow hatred, to speak a disgusting language to his opponents, to call for violence. This is all that we have heard from the Prime Minister of Georgia today from this tribune, and this is what, in principle, benefits the Georgian government; it is polarization, radicalization, and if anyone is destructive, radical and deepens polarization, it is Irakli Garibashvili and his speech”.

Ana Natsvlishvili, “Lelo for Georgia”: “We know that you live in a different reality. We also know that you have double-digit economic growth. Georgian citizens do not have double-digit economic growth. Citizens of Georgia do not have the privileges that you have. Many lies have been told here with contempt… It was a lie that you assured everyone inside and outside the country that the 12 recommendations would be implemented by the end of June. Where are the implemented recommendations? In Stockholm, you were told that three of the 12 recommendations had been implemented. Didn’t you hear it when they told you?… Are you not ashamed that you stood for months and told a lie that burst like a soap bubble.”

Khatuna Samnidze, “Republican Party”: “Today, instead of separating the violence, he himself committed violence… He is only engaged in propaganda… It is shameful what we have seen today. He did not answer specific questions.”

Giorgi Vashadze, “Strategy Aghmashenebeli”: “Today’s speech of the Prime Minister can be evaluated with three specific evaluations: a speech out of touch with reality, saturated with lies, saturated with the language of hatred, where the citizens of Georgia could not see themselves, they would only see the [the PM] care for his chair, how to maintain [his] position. This is the reality”.

Paata Manjgaladze, “Strategy Aghmashenebeli”: “I understand that it is very difficult for the representatives of the majority to hear the truth that we are talking about, but this is part of the political culture… I was guided by this standard and listened to Garibashvili for five hours, and the person broke his own record of hatred, contempt, and insults. He spoke about the development of Georgia for 20 minutes; for the rest of the four hours, he cursed his opponents… You should know the simple standard, who sows the wind of violence, reaps a storm, and I do not recommend trying it.”

Beka Liluashvili, “For Georgia”: “With today’s speech, it was once again declared that the “Dream” has no resources, no ability, and what is most regretful, it seems that it does not even have the political will to create expectations for a better tomorrow than today. He is trying to make people live not with faith in the future, but with fear.”

Aleksandre Elisashvili, “Citizens”: “In my opinion, self-criticism and self-scrutiny are the most suitable for a person, especially for a politician, especially for a state official, and especially for the chairman of the Government and the Prime Minister… If I heard at least a few notes in your [Prime Minister’s] speech about the shortcomings in different fields and about the fact that [you] wanted something different, but it didn’t work out, it would again be very good for you, because you would present yourself better… You are painting a different Georgia, and in reality, Georgia is different from that.”

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