Representatives of the “Opposition Alliance” — Gigi Tsereteli, Giga Bokeria, and Zurab Japaridze — have issued a joint statement. The government’s opponents believe that Georgia is in a favorable geopolitical situation, but the country’s authorities are failing to exploit the emerging opportunities to strengthen cooperation with the West. According to the politicians, Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus is waning, US interest in the region is growing, and new transit, infrastructure, and security projects offer Georgia a chance to become an important part of the Western strategic architecture.
At the same time, the authors of the statement claim that the ruling Georgian Dream party acts primarily in the interests of its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, rather than those of the state. According to the alliance representatives, the current policy of the authorities prevents the alignment of the strategic interests of Georgia and the United States.
Opposition politicians state that the influence of Russia, China, and Iran is growing within the country, while pro-Western political forces, civil society representatives, and independent journalists are facing pressure.
The statement says that if the authorities are genuinely interested in restoring full relations with Washington, they must take a number of concrete steps. These include limiting Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence in the country, ending anti-American and anti-Western rhetoric, releasing political prisoners, and halting politically motivated prosecutions.
In addition, the “Opposition Alliance” demands the repeal of the law “on grants,” restrictions on foreign funding, regulations governing freedom of assembly and expression, as well as mechanisms for monitoring the activities of the civil sector.
The authors of the statement paid special attention to the need to investigate cases of political violence and establish links between the alleged organizers of such actions, government officials, and other structures.
According to the alliance representatives, their main goal is to hold free and fair elections, release political prisoners, restore relations with Western partners, and return Georgia to the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.
“We want normalization of relations, but not on Ivanishvili’s terms; we want stability, but not at the cost of restricting freedom; we want partnership with the US, but not through a regime that persecutes America’s friends and strengthens its adversaries,” the statement says.
