Georgian PM says opposition’s “sanctions abroad, protests at home” strategy warrants legal response

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said that the opposition’s “sanctions - abroad, protests - at home” strategy reinforces the lawsuit filed with the Constitutional Court and warrants an appropriate legal response.

Kobakhidze was responding to a journalist’s question regarding opposition politician Nika Gvaramia’s statement that the opposition’s strategy is “protests at home and sanctions abroad”.

“The case was initiated precisely in connection with this approach, which is a treasonous one. In a broader sense, it is a criminal approach. We will see how investigative authorities ultimately classify it, but this is exactly what betraying one’s own country means”, he said.

“‘Inside - protests, outside - sanctions’ means gathering 150 people domestically in order to create a pretext for hostile actions abroad. This is the simple logic underlying their criminal, anti-state, and treasonous activities. It must receive an appropriate response”, the PM continued.

Kobakhidze added that in 2024 and 2025, society gave its response through elections, however, that alone is not enough.

“As you know, we have also prepared a lawsuit for the Constitutional Court. This very approach - ‘outside - sanctions, inside - protests’ - reinforces the case that has been submitted to the Constitutional Court. It is an open and hostile attitude toward one’s own people, state, and country, and it requires an appropriate legal response as well”, the Prime Minister concluded.