Georgia’s ruling party official: Georgian Dream reduced foreign influence while maintaining peace and stability

Levan Machavariani, the First Deputy Chair of the Georgian Dream parliamentary faction, said on Saturday that the party inherited a country dependent on external forces and has since worked to reduce foreign influence while maintaining peace and stability in Georgia.

Speaking on the Imedi TV talk show Open Air - Debates, Machavariani noted that the ruling party had endured significant blackmail, pressure, bullying, and coercion in order to safeguard peace and stability.

“We have gone through a lot, and it was not an easy path for the Georgian Dream team, first of all for our Honorary Chair [Bidzina Ivanishvili], and for every member of Georgian Dream. There was a lot of blackmail, pressure, bullying, and coercion. It is not easy. We did all of this in order to maintain peace and stability in Georgia. Of course, we will not deviate from this”, he said.

The official further emphasised that when the Georgian Dream party came to power, it inherited a state heavily influenced by external actors.

“Unfortunately, we inherited a country that was dependent on external forces, and it took us years to free the country from this influence. Today, our patriotic Georgians are proud that they truly feel that absolutely every decision about our country is made in Georgia”, Machavariani concluded.