GD Chair Garibashvili: Georgia not Ready to Become an EU Member

On April 20 GD Chair Irakli Garibashvili, speaking to journalists after the meeting with the Georgian Dream party representatives in the town of Gori as part of the pre-election campaign, declared that Georgia “had achieved the maximum” by gaining the candidate status in December last year, but that “Georgia today is not ready to become an [EU] member state” and that “there is no consensus” within the country that it is ready to become a member, marking a change in substance and tone of the GD narrative that Georgia has done everything, and more than other candidate countries.

Commenting on the view that the “Foreign Agents” law is an obstacle to Georgia’s EU accession process he added: “Today EU is not ready for enlargement, it will need time and next steps depend on many factors.” He said: “I will put it simply: if by the time when the country is ready, and we’ll be told: ok, tomorrow you will become a member, then we will get rid of this [Foreign Agents] law very easily, or review it, amend, or adopt the new one. Because we need transparency.”

Slamming “Destructive” NGOs

Speaking to journalists, the GD chair lashed out at “big” NGOs that receive funding from foundations and organizations of partner countries. “I have said to them [the partners] on many occasions, that I don’t like, we don’t like that your state organizations and foundations are funding the NGOs with this agenda. My position has been that it’s unacceptable to us when this money is directed at destructive, anarchic, and extremist actions. When it’s directed on propagation of anti-government ideology.”

He claimed that “behind many rallies there have been destructive organizations such as Shame movement”, and they “use this money against the government and people,” he said “bringing anxiety and chaos.”

He also claimed that these kind of CSOs “discredit other NGOs, and well as of our partners” and “harm our relations.”

Ongoing protests against the Foreign Agents Law

Commenting on the protesting youth, Garibashvili said that “there are many of UNM youth organization activists and other parties’ representatives among them.” He thanked Minister of Interior Gomelauri for “great” management of the protests.

Commenting on the six opposition parties pledge, in which announced unity and coordination against the so-called Foreign agents’ law Garibashvili said: “Their objective is destruction, anxiety and war.” He also claimed: “These are not independent actors, they are agents of influence of other countries”, adding that “they don’t recognize our country’s’ interest.”

He maintained the law is all about “transparency” and that “those who oppose transparency have nothing in common with democracy and the democratic development of our country.”

The Global Context and Nuclear Threat

Garibashvili spoke of the “difficult” situation in the world and the region, and the unpredictable security and political environment. He said that no one knows what security arrangements will be in place in the end. He also recalled the situation in the Middle East, emphasised the continuation of the war in Ukraine, saying that no one knew when it would end, and added that there was a “real danger” of it spilling over into Georgian territory. He also blamed some unnamed irresponsible forces and individuals. The GD Chair said: “The situation [in the world and the region] is explosive. The rhetoric of nuclear war is back”. He added: “Both NATO member states and Russia are directly talking about [nuclear war].

He then said: “At this time, we are wasting our time on internal misunderstandings, inconsistencies…The Georgian Dream will not allow any destabilization.” He maintained that “the only political force which has preserved peace and stability in the country, if there is any one who is capable to preserve peace and stability is Bidzina Ivanishvili, it is the Georgian Dream, my friends.”

Occupation

The GD Chair blamed the opposition for “forgetting about the main problem” which is the presence of the occupying forces on Georgian territory. “Whose fault is it?” Garibashvili rhetorically inquired. And himself answered the question addressing the answer to a journalist from an opposition-leaning TV: “It’s your party’s [United National Movement’s] fault.”

He complained about the opposition: “I don’t hear debates on how we should solve this problem” adding that it was under the rule of the “destructive forces” that Georgia “lost” its territories. He also alleged that if not for the Georgian Dream “there wouldn’t be even a theoretical chance” to “even think about peace.”

“The creeping occupation is the result of unwise, anti-national, anti-state movement, which is UNM,” Garibashvili said.

Tax Code Amendments

Asked about whether the controversial Tax Code amendments adopted by the Georgian Parliament which exempt from all taxes the transfer of assets from enterprises in tax havens to Georgian entities, benefits Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Garibashvili said: “Bidzina Ivanishvili has spent USD 3 billon on charity and “he sacrificed a lot to save our country from oppression and misery.”

He added addressing the journalists: “If not for him you would still have this maniac [Mikheil Saakashvili]” and would have “neither the visa regime [with the EU], nor the [EU] candidate status.” He added: “We own’t let you ruing our country for the second time.”

Former U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan’s recent remarks

Asked about former U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan’s recent critical remarks Garibashvili declined to comment, saying: “She’s not US ambassador anymore.” He added: “Today we have a very professional, worthy new Ambassador, and we deal with her.”

Russian Praise to the Foreign Agents Law

Commenting on the praise heard from Russia on the Foreign Agents’ law from individuals like Euroasianist ideologue with close Kremlin ties Alexander Dugin and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Garibashvili inquired: “In whose interest are these statements? Who uses them?” And again replied to his own questions: “It’s in radical opposition’s interest.”

He then lamented that generally the problem is that “we listen to what other countries said, EU representatives said, US representatives said,” stating:  “We won’t achieve much by this, we need to be guided by what Georgia needs. We need peace, stability, and development.” And then, again addressing the pro-opposition TV journalists: “And we don’t need war and destruction, which your party wants to bring.”

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)