Instead of addressing the dangers that arise, the Georgian Dream decided to become an anti-European force and, through this, shift public attitudes in a way that, in their calculation, will ultimately lead to future generations no longer being pro-European, Giorgi Tumasiani, a specialist in public administration and international relations, said on Palitra News’ program Résumé.

According to him, it also naturally suits Georgian Dream to align with authoritarian countries, and Irakli Kobakhidze’s visit to China—exactly when the European Commission report was released—is proof of this.

“The situation is quite clear. This was a deliberate policy by Georgian Dream aimed at maximizing separation from the European Union. Presumably, this involves several layers of interests and cause-and-effect connections. On one hand, it depends on Russia’s demands, which Georgian Dream fulfills. On the other hand, it is very clear that Georgian Dream itself naturally benefits from being aligned with authoritarian countries. The visit to China at the time the EU report was published confirms that establishing an authoritarian, dictatorial state in Georgia is acceptable for Georgian Dream. The only way for Bidzina Ivanishvili and his regime to retain power is to establish a dictatorship in Georgia, which naturally aligns Moscow’s and Ivanishvili’s interests—even if this is not the result of a direct agreement. As a result, Georgia is completely and deliberately distanced from the EU in every parameter, and it is only due to the EU’s goodwill that this status is still recognized.”

Tumasiani further explained:

“I think this can mainly be explained not by ties to authoritarian systems, but by the context of threats from Russia. Looking at the map, Ukraine is defending itself and, through this, protecting Moldova, while Georgia, in some sense, is indeed vulnerable in the prism of Russia. Accordingly, instead of discussing these threats, Georgian Dream decided to become an anti-European force and, through this, shift public attitudes. The processes currently underway involve systemic changes in the Georgian state, which, in their calculation, will ultimately ensure that future generations will no longer be pro-European.”

“In this geopolitical context, if the focus were on the country’s interests, Georgia should support the fastest possible integration with the EU. However, if the focus is on retaining the current government’s power, democratic Europe—where democracy is measured by changes in government—is not the best environment for Georgian Dream, which recently extended its indicators until 2035. They do not intend to relinquish power through elections. Therefore, it naturally suits them to have the Communist Party of China as a strategic partner.”