Georgian Foreign Minister responds to opposition rally, emphasises elections as sole path for power transition in democratic states

At a briefing held at the Central Office of the ruling Georgian Dream party, the Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili addressed today’s rally announced by the radical opposition, stressing that in democratic countries, the transfer and change of government occur through a single path - elections.

In her remarks, Botchorishvili argued that by refusing to participate in democratic mechanisms, the domestic opposition forfeited its legitimacy to speak on democracy or its standards.

“In democratic countries, the transfer and change of power occur through only one path - elections. These people reject elections, and therefore they have no basis or right to speak about democracy or democratic standards at all”, the Minister said.

“We live in a democratic state, and everyone has the right to peacefully express their views. Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly, but the state has an obligation to ensure public order. If freedom of expression takes place within peaceful parameters, everyone has the opportunity to exercise it”, she concluded.