Gakharia and Party Member Attacked Upon Arrival from Munich Security Conference

The opposition party Gakharia For Georgia said that its leader, Giorgi Gakharia, and party member Elguja Khokrishvili were attacked upon their return from the Munich Security Conference in the early morning of February 17. According to the party, a group linked to the ruling GD party confronted them at Tbilisi International Airport, with law enforcement present but failing to intervene.

According to the footage circulating on social media, allegedly GD-linked thugs confronted Gakharia and Khokrishvili at the airport, hurling verbal insults and throwing eggs at them. The attackers could be heard shouting, “Are you no longer funded by USAID?” and “Are you no longer a sellout, an unprincipled agent?” The incident unfolded as Gakharia and Khokrishvili returned from the Munich Security Conference, where they along with President Salome Zurabishvili held meetings with Western officials and discussed Georgia’s political trajectory.

In a released statement, the party condemned the incident as a pre-planned attack by “a pre-organised group of party thugs” who were “aided and abetted by the total inaction of the police on the scene, who had also been warned in advance”. The statement said: “It is clear that [Bidzina] Ivanishvili is afraid of the results of the Munich Security Conference, and this hysteria is caused by this fear.”

Berdia Sichinava, the Executive Secretary of For Georgia asserted that the confrontation was politically motivated. He added that “Bidzina Ivanishvili will inevitably experience the consequences of the Munich Security Conference” warning “we promise that he will lose what is most precious to him – money and power,” Sichinava added.

He also recalled a recent incident in Batumi, where Gakharia was physically assaulted at the Batumi Sheraton hotel by the GD’s MPs. He claimed that up to six perpetrators had already been identified by the party, though do not expect any tangible results from the investigation of MIA.

The attack on Gakharia comes amid growing concerns over the GD government’s tightening grip on political dissent. On February 6, the ruling party hastily passed a legislative package imposing stricter regulations on protests and increasing penalties for offenses against law enforcement and government officials.

The amendments significantly raise fines for minor offenses, with penalties for “verbal insults, swearing, or offensive remarks” against government officials ranging from GEL 2,000 to 6,000, and possible administrative detention of up to 60 days. Watchdog organizations, including TI-Georgia and the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), have labeled the amendments as “dictatorial regulations” aimed at stifling dissent and instilling fear among the public.

Domestic Reactions to Attack

Speaking to TV Pirveli, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs has not indicated whether the probe has started, saying that “we are studying the incident, and an appropriate response will be made.”

Meanwhile, Levan Machavariani, a Georgian Dream MP, claimed that the confrontation might have been a spontaneous reaction. “We have more than 1.2 million voters, and of course, many of them will be dissatisfied with Mr. Gakharia’s actions,” adding that “some may express their dissatisfaction in this way.”

Guram Macharashvili, an MP from the pseudo-opposition party People’s Power, dismissed accusations that the attack was orchestrated by the GD, adding that former PM Gakharia would have been “no one” without the GD, “such accusations that Georgian Dream organized this and so on no longer work,” he argued.

Opposition parties condemned the attack, linking it to broader concerns about political violence in Georgia.

Tinatin Bokuchava, a leader of the Unity-UNM, emphasized that the GD authorities lead the country into total impunity that “have now affected practically every member of society, except the members of the Russian Dream and their bureaucracy.”

Saba Buadze, a leader of Strong Georgia stated that an attack on Gakharia was a “shameful and unfortunate fact,” and “this is further evidence that we are dealing with a Russian-style regime,” he added.

Giorgi Butikashvili, from the Coalition for Change, added that by the attack on Gakharia the GD authorities want to “humiliate the opposition and show the public that they have power, but in reality, this only reveals their fear.”

Also Read:

• 24/01/2025 – Gakharia: Attack on Me Is Ivanishvili’s Political Revenge
• 22/01/2025 – Opposition Member Says Sheraton Hotel Batumi May Be Involved in Cover-Up of Attack on Gakharia

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