Georgian PM: everyone must prepare for 2028 elections

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said that all instruments had been used against the Georgian people for political pressure, with the sole exception of visa liberalisation.

“Every tool to pressure the people has been employed, except for one: visa liberalisation. The last shot at this would only make sense if you knew it would achieve its goal - restoring the ‘United National Movement’ to power”, Kobakhidze said.

The Prime Minister emphasised that he does not expect the suspension of visa-free travel, calling it the EU’s “last weapon”.

“I do not expect such an unpragmatic step for a simple reason: it is their last weapon. We know that their informal leaders used EU-related matters to blackmail the people, firing many shots: first, they denied us candidate status, then stalled negotiations, and later announced that Georgia’s EU integration process was suspended as of June 27, 2024. Every instrument to pressure the people was used except visa liberalization”, he continued.

Kobakhidze argued that firing this “last shot” only makes sense if it will achieve the desired outcome of bringing the collective United National Movement back to power.

“If you fire it and still cannot restore the UNM to power, then there is no point - it would be an unpragmatic step. Everyone sees that this last shot will not achieve its goal, and the UNM cannot return to power. Under these conditions, no one would risk such an irrational step. This is why I believe they will remain pragmatic and will not make this decision”, the Prime Minister said.

Responding to speculation that the European Commission might wait for the culmination of political processes, Kobakhidze dismissed the idea.

“They may try, but there will be no culmination. We will have peaceful years. There are no elections for the next two years, and by 2028 all political forces, including the EU Commission - which through its Ambassador was involved in electoral processes and directly urged support for the collective UNM - must prepare for the parliamentary elections. European bureaucrats, guided by informal influences, will not be able to restore the collective UNM to power in Georgia”, Kobakhidze concluded.