Georgian Parliament Speaker: October 4 vote choice between preserving “our culture, traditions, rules” or yielding to externally imposed radicalism, extremism

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said Georgian citizens would face a fundamental choice during the upcoming local elections scheduled for October 4 - whether to live by their own culture, traditions, and rules, or to follow externally imposed radicalism and extremism.

The ruling Georgian Dream party on Friday held a presentation of its Tbilisi campaign music video. The clip was created by musician Zaza Nozadze. The music video was presented to the public by Kakha Kaladze, the incumbent Mayor of the capital and Georgian Dream’s candidate for Tbilisi mayor, together with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

“Many thanks to Zaza Nozadze for this initiative and idea. A wonderful song was created, even if we set aside the pre-election context. Gogi Tsabadze and his songs, which are closely associated with Tbilisi, are an inseparable part of our capital and the people living in it. Therefore, presenting his song in this form was very interesting, emotional, and energetic, including within the context of our pre-election campaign”, the Speaker said.

Papuashvili further added that the message embedded in this clip, beyond the main lyrics, spoke about Georgian culture, traditions, and customs.

“This is precisely what some want to take away from this city - our culture, our traditions, our rules. In contrast, we see cursing, resentment, and disorder”, the Speaker stressed.

“Fundamentally, this is the choice facing citizens on October 4 - whether we want to live according to our culture, traditions, and rules, or yield to externally imposed radicalism and extremism”, he concluded.