Independence worth fighting, sacrificing for - Georgia more independent than ever, says Georgian Vice PM

Mamuka Mdinaradze, Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister and State Minister for the Coordination of Law Enforcement Agencies, on Saturday said that independence was the most important national value for Georgia, stressing that the country was currently more independent than at any time in recent decades.

Speaking on the Imedi TV talk show Open Air - Debates, Mdinaradze noted that independence, dignity, national identity, and cultural preservation were the core priorities of the Georgian government.

“Independence is worth fighting for, worth sacrificing for, worth everything. If decisions about your homeland and your people are made in your own country, that is the greatest achievement. You can endure everything else. I am proud that today Georgia is more independent than it has been at any time in recent decades. That is our greatest accomplishment”, he said.

The Vice Prime Minister pointed to tangible achievements, such as GDP growth from 4,000 to over 10,000 and the state budget increasing from 13 billion to 33 billion in recent years.

“With these laws, we are fighting illegality, injustice, and unfair treatment. We are talking about the future. Yes, today no one will report that GDP, which stood at 4,000 not long ago, has exceeded 10,000 in just five years - unless they have a direct interest in harming you. No one will tell you that taxpayers who received 13 billion five years ago are now receiving 33 billion after five or six years. Instead, people from abroad repeat whatever narrative they have been instructed to promote”, Mdinaradze noted.

He recalled the slogan “Long live an independent Georgia” from the late Soviet era and April 9 protests, noting that it remains deeply rooted in the national consciousness.

“But the most important thing is this: I was a very young boy when I first heard the slogan that has remained deeply rooted in my memory - ‘Long live an independent Georgia’. We are children of the communist era. Some of those people later entered government, others joined the opposition. Our first protest was April 9, when the Soviet Union was collapsing, and the cry was, ‘Long live an independent Georgia’. Even today, that remains in everyone’s subconscious. Independence is the fundamental value worth fighting and sacrificing for”, he said.

Mdinaradze further noted that the ability of a country to make its own decisions about its people and territory was the highest political achievement.

“If decisions about your homeland and your people are made in your own country, that is the greatest achievement. Everything else can be endured. If someone else is making those decisions, no matter how friendly they may be, their interests can never fully coincide with yours in every circumstance”, he stressed.

“States are friends when their interests align. The moment those interests diverge, that state can no longer truly be considered your friend. It is a great misunderstanding and naivety to believe that someone is our friend simply because they give us money. They provide money to advance their own interests - we must remember that”, Mdinaradze continued.

The official argued that Georgia has achieved significant progress in recent years, both politically and economically, and that the country should recognise improvements in public finances and poverty reduction alongside existing challenges.

“Independence is the most important thing, and I am sincerely proud that today Georgia is more independent than it has been at any point in recent decades. That is our greatest achievement. As for economic progress, we should call things by their proper names. Yes, poverty still exists, but we should also talk about how much it has declined. We should not invent stories on demand - stories that ultimately damage our country’s image, undermine stability, deepen polarisation, and contribute to national division”, he noted.

Mdinaradze reaffirmed that the government would continue on this path of strengthening sovereignty and improving social conditions, calling on society to take pride in these accomplishments.

“Independence, dignity, national identity, cultural identity, and the social conditions of our citizens - where we have made significant progress - are our main concerns, and we will continue on this path. At the very least, we should all be able to agree on these priorities and take pride in them. Those who choose otherwise are free to do so”, Mdinaradze concluded.