The only main “trump card” they have left is to use internal unrest and pressure on our people — and how should that happen? Through fear-inducing messages related to visa liberalization, said Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the parliamentary majority and chairman of the “Georgian Dream” faction, in response to the European Commission’s letter.

According to Mdinaradze, once it became clear that Georgia had no intention whatsoever of getting involved in the war, changing Georgia’s government was put on the agenda.

“You probably remember the mocking campaign against those who genuinely cared about their homeland — the campaign that said, ‘So you want war?!’ You remember that, right? Today that no longer seems to be the main narrative, but we must clearly understand that for anyone who doesn’t care about Georgia and who is working for foreign interests — if there is anything they critically need, anything they view as a lifeline — it’s to re-ignite the topic of Georgia joining the war. And I’ll tell you why. We see the situation around us — Syria, Iran, Ukraine — I won’t even go into the details. I’ll just say this: our country is surrounded by a ring of fire. Everyone has now become convinced that the current Georgian government will not drag the country into war. Backroom conversations that used to happen no longer happen — no one is telling us to start a war anymore, unlike a few years ago.

But they are certain of one thing: since today’s Georgian government doesn’t serve their ‘global interests’ — to turn Georgia into a savior or a link in their chain — they believe war rhetoric and ultimately war itself can only happen if the government changes. And the new government would be made up of people who, at the snap of a finger, will do exactly what they are told,” Mdinaradze stated.

He further explained that the opposition and their “sponsors” are building their agenda around “blackmail related to visa liberalization,” trying to get the Georgian people to remove their own government and bring in one that will involve the country in war.

“The only main ‘trump card’ they have left is to stir up internal unrest and apply pressure on our people — and how? Through frightening messages tied to visa liberalization. Blackmail only works until it’s exposed for what it is. Once people see it clearly and move past it, there are no levers left. That’s why there’s a much greater chance that this tactic will fail — but attempts might still be made. We also have information that this is being coordinated internally, and that decisions on this front are being timed for early to mid-September. ‘Georgians’ — meaning our opponents — are working and dreaming toward this. So, the only path left for them is to scare the Georgian population into removing their own government and installing one that will take the country to war. That is their final plan. But we will overcome this too, and in the end, everyone will realize that without us — meaning without the Georgian people and their elected government — any manipulation here is pointless,” Mdinaradze said on Imedi TV.