Salome Zourabichvili, the fifth president of Georgia, stated that what has been happening in Georgia over the past few years is a capture of democracy and the state.
Speaking at the Oslo Freedom Forum, the politician noted that the country is likely going through one of its most difficult periods. This comes despite the fact, Zourabichvili said, that only yesterday Georgia was a beacon of democracy, a leader among neighboring countries in European integration, and a model of reform and transformation.
“Despite Russia’s aggression in 2008 and the occupation of 20% of its territory, the country managed to preserve its sovereignty. But very quickly, what has happened in recent years turned into a capture of democracy and the state. This is the alienation of society and its subjugation. We have now reached a point where we either save ourselves or submit to dictatorship. Unfortunately, today this has become a common phenomenon that we observe in many countries,” she stated.
Zourabichvili pointed out that “Georgia represents the other side of the same coin, on the flip side of which Ukraine is waging an armed struggle.”
“We are resisting a quiet capture of the state through hybrid warfare methods—including the use of democratic institutions, elections, social networks, and now artificial intelligence. And none of this is limited by geographical borders,” the politician noted.
