Georgian FM at Rubio-hosted Ministerial to combat resurgence of political terrorism: Georgia has experienced attempts to weaken democratic institutions through coordinated campaigns

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili participated in the Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism, held in Washington, D.C., on Thursday at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During the event, she delivered remarks to the assembled participants.

In her address, Botchorishvili underscored the importance of prioritising the issue of political terrorism on the international agenda, particularly against the backdrop of contemporary security challenges.

“This discussion could not be more timely as we face complex and evolving challenges that directly affect our national interests, sovereignty, and security. Around the world, radical groups operate under different ideological banners - including, at times, in the name of democracy. Yet their objective is not to strengthen democratic institutions, but to weaken them”, the FM said.

She noted that Georgia represented a compelling example of these challenges, highlighting that in recent years there had been numerous attempts to undermine the country’s democratic institutions.

“Over the past several years, we have witnessed repeated attempts to undermine our democratic institutions under various pretexts. We have seen coordinated campaigns aimed at discrediting state institutions, including the judiciary, the electoral system, and other constitutional bodies. We have also witnessed attempts by radical groups to use violence and acts of sabotage as political instruments”, she added.

Botchorishvili also highlighted the risks associated with the politicisation and misuse of international institutions, emphasising that such practices undermine both interstate relations and the credibility and authority of the international organizations themselves.

“Equally concerning are efforts to exploit international institutions in order to legitimise such actions-through resolutions and other mechanisms designed to exert political pressure on sovereign states while undermining the reputation and credibility of these institutions”, she stressed.

The top Georgian diplomat further underscored that political terrorism frequently manifests itself in less visible forms, stressing that countering this phenomenon requires a coordinated effort and remains a common challenge for democratic nations.

“This should concern all of us. Because political terrorism does not always appear in its most visible form. It can also emerge through intimidation, political violence and systematic efforts to weaken democratic institutions from within. It is a challenge for every democracy committed to protecting its institutions, its sovereignty, and the will of its people”, she concluded.