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Ana Tsitlidze: Today, the "RussDreamers" fulfilled Putin’s request by arresting Givi Targamadze – under the Russian-style regime, Targamadze will not be safe in prison

Ana Tsitlidze: Today, the "RussDreamers" fulfilled Putin’s request by arresting Givi Targamadze – under the Russian-style regime, Targamadze will not be safe in prison
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Today, the Russians, the "RussDreamers" who call themselves the government of Georgia, fulfilled Putin’s request by arresting Givi Targamadze.

There is a very high probability that he will be handed over to the Russians, – said Ana Tsitlidze, one of the leaders of “Unity – United National Movement,” on PalitraNews’s program “Day’s Newsroom,” in response to the 7-month prison sentence and 2-year ban from holding office imposed on opposition politician Givi Targamadze.

According to her, Targamadze is the second political prisoner in Georgia to be arrested directly at Russia’s request, because during his time as Chairman of Defense and Security under the UNM government, he fiercely fought against Russia.

“I want to express my solidarity with Givi Targamadze and emphasize that his arrest is the most serious of all political arrests. We now have a second political prisoner who has been detained directly at Russia’s request. The first was Mikheil Saakashvili, who is imprisoned on Russian orders, and the second is Givi Targamadze. He was Chair of Defense and Security under the UNM and caused Russia a great deal of trouble—he is wanted there and has been sentenced to 25 years. In 2016, an attempt was made on Targamadze’s life with a car bombing while he was inside, and he miraculously survived. The case hasn’t been fully investigated, but traces lead back to Russian intelligence services,” – she stated.

Regarding Targamadze’s safety in prison, Tsitlidze said that “not only he, but no opposition politician is safe in prison under the current Russian-style regime.” She added that Targamadze had the strongest moral right to leave the country.

“No opposition politician is safe in prison under a Russian regime. But Givi Targamadze’s case is especially serious—he has the status of a witness in The Hague. Based on his testimony, Russian soldiers were convicted. There isn’t a single reasonable person in the country who doesn’t understand what’s happening now, including those who are staying silent for one reason or another. Givi Targamadze had the greatest moral right to leave the country and not allow ‘Georgian Dream’ to arrest him. There’s a high probability they will hand him over to Russia. Georgian Dream has now reached a point where they believe they can do absolutely anything,” – she said.

In response to a question about why the investigative commission is summoning and arresting politicians beyond just UNM members, Tsitlidze said that over the past 13 years, the harshest repression by Georgian Dream has targeted the United National Movement.

"When the commission was created, many thought they would be spared and that only UNM would be targeted. But we warned that this commission would go after all political parties, and that’s why unity was so important. Mikheil Saakashvili has been in prison for years and will likely face further charges. Every UNM leader has been prosecuted. Georgian Dream has been targeting UNM for 13 years. Between 15,000 to 30,000 members of the party have been summoned to the prosecutor’s office during this time. Saakashvili is in prison, Gigi Ugulava was in prison. There is no leader who hasn’t faced jail. The repression of the UNM has continued for 13 years. And after they’re done with the politicians, they’ll go after all active citizens.”

“Georgian Dream is trying to show force. They know they lack legitimacy among the public. But this is also a sign of weakness. Strength does not rely on violence. A strong government doesn’t twist arms if it believes in its own truth. It’s up to the opposition to use this weakness wisely. The fact that we’ve survived under this regime and are still standing is itself a major achievement amidst repression. You can’t name a single Georgian Dream member who would go to prison like this. This shows the strength of the opposition. Those who went to prison are not victims,” she said.

Regarding the possible return of Giorgi Gakharia to Georgia, Tsitlidze said that such a decision must be made by Gakharia himself, but if it were her, she would return.

“I would come back in his place. I don’t want to speak harshly or morally judge his decision—it’s his choice. When Mikheil Saakashvili returned and was jailed, he fully knew what awaited him. What Gakharia does is up to him,” she noted.

Additionally, Ana Tsitlidze believes that the West’s main mistake was not believing in Georgian Dream’s pro-Russian orientation until the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“The main mistake our international partners made was not believing before the war in Ukraine that Georgian Dream was Russian. They had great support from Europeans and Americans. That changed when Russia launched its aggression in Ukraine. It’s not easy to impose sanctions, and although they help, sanctions alone are not enough. Georgian Dream had significant support from the U.S. and the U.K., but they squandered it and equated themselves with Russia, Iran, and China. This was a deliberate plan,” – she said.

As for Irakli Kobakhidze’s appearance in Parliament, Tsitlidze said he is not an interesting political figure and called him a “collective Bidzinoid.”

“He’s an uninteresting figure to me. They all have one collective name – ‘Bidzinoids.’ They may have different names, but each one of them is a collective slave of Ivanishvili. A meaningful conversation with Kobakhidze is impossible. We must do everything we can to overthrow this regime,” she said.

Ana Tsitlidze: Today, the "RussDreamers" fulfilled Putin’s request by arresting Givi Targamadze – under the Russian-style regime, Targamadze will not be safe in prison

Today, the Russians, the "RussDreamers" who call themselves the government of Georgia, fulfilled Putin’s request by arresting Givi Targamadze.

There is a very high probability that he will be handed over to the Russians, – said Ana Tsitlidze, one of the leaders of “Unity – United National Movement,” on PalitraNews’s program “Day’s Newsroom,” in response to the 7-month prison sentence and 2-year ban from holding office imposed on opposition politician Givi Targamadze.

According to her, Targamadze is the second political prisoner in Georgia to be arrested directly at Russia’s request, because during his time as Chairman of Defense and Security under the UNM government, he fiercely fought against Russia.

“I want to express my solidarity with Givi Targamadze and emphasize that his arrest is the most serious of all political arrests. We now have a second political prisoner who has been detained directly at Russia’s request. The first was Mikheil Saakashvili, who is imprisoned on Russian orders, and the second is Givi Targamadze. He was Chair of Defense and Security under the UNM and caused Russia a great deal of trouble—he is wanted there and has been sentenced to 25 years. In 2016, an attempt was made on Targamadze’s life with a car bombing while he was inside, and he miraculously survived. The case hasn’t been fully investigated, but traces lead back to Russian intelligence services,” – she stated.

Regarding Targamadze’s safety in prison, Tsitlidze said that “not only he, but no opposition politician is safe in prison under the current Russian-style regime.” She added that Targamadze had the strongest moral right to leave the country.

“No opposition politician is safe in prison under a Russian regime. But Givi Targamadze’s case is especially serious—he has the status of a witness in The Hague. Based on his testimony, Russian soldiers were convicted. There isn’t a single reasonable person in the country who doesn’t understand what’s happening now, including those who are staying silent for one reason or another. Givi Targamadze had the greatest moral right to leave the country and not allow ‘Georgian Dream’ to arrest him. There’s a high probability they will hand him over to Russia. Georgian Dream has now reached a point where they believe they can do absolutely anything,” – she said.

In response to a question about why the investigative commission is summoning and arresting politicians beyond just UNM members, Tsitlidze said that over the past 13 years, the harshest repression by Georgian Dream has targeted the United National Movement.

"When the commission was created, many thought they would be spared and that only UNM would be targeted. But we warned that this commission would go after all political parties, and that’s why unity was so important. Mikheil Saakashvili has been in prison for years and will likely face further charges. Every UNM leader has been prosecuted. Georgian Dream has been targeting UNM for 13 years. Between 15,000 to 30,000 members of the party have been summoned to the prosecutor’s office during this time. Saakashvili is in prison, Gigi Ugulava was in prison. There is no leader who hasn’t faced jail. The repression of the UNM has continued for 13 years. And after they’re done with the politicians, they’ll go after all active citizens.”

“Georgian Dream is trying to show force. They know they lack legitimacy among the public. But this is also a sign of weakness. Strength does not rely on violence. A strong government doesn’t twist arms if it believes in its own truth. It’s up to the opposition to use this weakness wisely. The fact that we’ve survived under this regime and are still standing is itself a major achievement amidst repression. You can’t name a single Georgian Dream member who would go to prison like this. This shows the strength of the opposition. Those who went to prison are not victims,” she said.

Regarding the possible return of Giorgi Gakharia to Georgia, Tsitlidze said that such a decision must be made by Gakharia himself, but if it were her, she would return.

“I would come back in his place. I don’t want to speak harshly or morally judge his decision—it’s his choice. When Mikheil Saakashvili returned and was jailed, he fully knew what awaited him. What Gakharia does is up to him,” she noted.

Additionally, Ana Tsitlidze believes that the West’s main mistake was not believing in Georgian Dream’s pro-Russian orientation until the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“The main mistake our international partners made was not believing before the war in Ukraine that Georgian Dream was Russian. They had great support from Europeans and Americans. That changed when Russia launched its aggression in Ukraine. It’s not easy to impose sanctions, and although they help, sanctions alone are not enough. Georgian Dream had significant support from the U.S. and the U.K., but they squandered it and equated themselves with Russia, Iran, and China. This was a deliberate plan,” – she said.

As for Irakli Kobakhidze’s appearance in Parliament, Tsitlidze said he is not an interesting political figure and called him a “collective Bidzinoid.”

“He’s an uninteresting figure to me. They all have one collective name – ‘Bidzinoids.’ They may have different names, but each one of them is a collective slave of Ivanishvili. A meaningful conversation with Kobakhidze is impossible. We must do everything we can to overthrow this regime,” she said.

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