Georgian PM vows to remove unconstitutional forces to safeguard Georgia’s democracy

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said the United National Movement had long been protected by European and, previously, American bureaucracies, but warned that openly defending the party in question should no longer be acceptable.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kobakhidze noted that “the authorities bear responsibility” before the Georgian people, the state, and the country’s democratic system to permanently remove undemocratic and unconstitutional political forces from the system.

“They are making such illogical and unjust decisions that one could imagine anything - but let’s hope they take a pragmatic view and do not openly side with the United National Movement. Since 2004 and especially since 2012, everyone has seen how certain individuals have protected that bloody regime - marked by torture, killings, business racketeering, and media capture. Where was their criticism then? They directly shielded those responsible. The same people - perhaps with different names - continued the same behavior. After 2012, as you recall, they even prohibited Georgian Dream from punishing offenders”, he said.

Kobakhidze further added that EU officials, including Barroso himself, publicly said “it was unacceptable to prosecute those criminals”.

He stressed that this protection had been evident to everyone.

“It is well known that the United National Movement was protected by European bureaucracies, and earlier by American bureaucracies. People are accustomed to this, but such overt display, self-exposure, and covering for the UNM should not be something these forces - meaning the European bureaucracy - would want to do. We will see how the rest of the process unfolds. But we are responsible before our people, our state, and our democratic system to permanently remove unconstitutional and undemocratic political forces from the system so that Georgia can finally rest”, he said.

“Our main goal is to free this country from constant radicalism, hatred, division, and confrontation against democracy. We cannot continue living in this state forever”, the PM continued.

Kobakhidze further added that for five years now, these people had been constantly declaring that the Georgian Government was unconstitutional.

“It must be determined - either we are unconstitutional, or they are. We are proving with facts that, between the two sides - the ruling party and the radical opposition - it is the radical opposition that is unconstitutional”, he concluded.