GD Defiant on 13th Anniversary, Touts Achievements Despite Growing Criticism
The ruling Georgian Dream party marked its 13th anniversary on April 21 with a self-congratulatory statement, lauding what it called what it called a period of “irreversible development” and democratic consolidation, even as critics point to escalating repression, a stalled EU accession process coupled with international isolation, a sharp decline in the human rights record, and growing social problems that continue to afflict large segments of the population.
The statement, issued by the party’s Political Council, commemorates the founding of Georgian Dream by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili in 2012, when he challenged what the party described as a “bloody dictatorship” of the previous United National Movement government.
According to the statement, the defeat of the previous regime laid the foundation for the “firm establishment” of democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights in Georgia. The party claimed that under its governance, the country has “embarked on a path of irreversible development.”
It also highlighted the absence of war under GD’s leadership since 2012 – a point the party has routinely emphasized as a hallmark of its rule and repeated that in the last three years, “Georgia faced a direct threat of becoming a second front” in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“However, despite the heaviest pressure and blackmail, the government has coped with this challenge with dignity,” the statement reads, adding that “No threats and blackmail, no sanctions and statements will be able to force the Georgian Dream government to plunge Georgia into the flames of war.”
The statement further asserted that Georgia’s economy has grown at an average annual rate of 9.7% in recent years, tripling in size since 2012, and cited World Bank data to claim that some 700,000 people have been lifted out of poverty. “The lari [GEL] exchange rate remains reliably stable, and the country’s external debt has decreased from 60% to 36.4%,” it further added.
The party also highlighted social welfare reforms, including the introduction of universal health care and expanded support for vulnerable groups, which eliminated the “practice of distributing social benefits based on political interests.”
On foreign policy, the ruling party claimed credit for major milestones in Georgia’s EU integration process, including the signing of the Association Agreement, Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the visa-free travel regime, and, most recently, EU candidate status.
However, the party accused “the European bureaucracy” of trying to “blackmail” Georgia and “bring undemocratic forces back to power,” promising that “our political team will face all challenges with dignity, and Georgia will meet the announced EU enlargement by 2030 more prepared than all candidate countries.”
The statement concluded with an appeal to national sovereignty and values, alleging that “today, Georgia is more independent and sovereign than ever before” and pledging to continue defending “the homeland, the Church, and national values.”
The statement comes as Georgia grapples with an unprecedented political crisis following the Georgian Dream government’s November 28 decision to halt the EU accession process, triggering months of nationwide demonstrations. The GD, which sits alone in the rump parliament, has implemented numerous repressive legislative measures that have been criticized by international observers and civil society organizations, as a systematic effort to silence. More than 50 people detained during pro-EU rallies are facing criminal prosecutions and are widely regarded as “political prisoners.” Authorities have imposed financial penalties on thousands of protesters, with many facing fines of 5,000 GEL – more than twice the average monthly income in Georgia. Many GD officials have been sanctioned by Georgia’s long-standing partner nations for participating in or enabling repression and for human rights violations.
Also Read:
- 21/03/2025 – 17 Journalists Fined for Blocking Roads Amid Protests – CMIS
- 19/03/2025 – GYLA: Fines Imposed on Protesters – Severe Violation of Freedom of Assembly
- 03/03/2025 – GD Parliament Moves Forward with Several Repressive Bills, Approving Them in First Reading
- 01/10/2022 – Georgian Dream: “Today Georgia is Sovereign as Never Before”
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