Tobias Cremer: If you’re looking for a definition of 'democratic backsliding,' you can forget the dictionary and simply look at what 'Georgian Dream' is doing to its population—this is a direct challenge to Europe and a real nightmare for the Georgian people

"If you’re looking for a definition of 'democratic backsliding,' you can forget the dictionary and simply look at what 'Georgian Dream' has been doing to its population over the past few years," said European Parliament member Tobias Cremer during a session in the European Parliament.

According to him, not so long ago, Georgia was a beacon of hope in the Caucasus, but today, "what we see are foreign agent laws, rigged elections, and brutal crackdowns on peaceful demonstrators."

"'Georgian Dream' is using the Russian playbook of intimidation, disinformation, and manipulation word for word. Let’s be absolutely clear—this is not a distant or abstract problem; it is a direct challenge to Europe itself and a real nightmare for the Georgian people. For the imprisoned journalists, for the opposition members beaten in the streets, but especially for the millions of ordinary Georgians—students, nurses, farmers, workers, teachers—for the 80 percent of Georgia’s population who still want a European future; who still believe in their freedom and who still resist their government, continuing to protest even after more than 200 days," stated Tobias Cremer.