"What has been happening in the country recently can only be described as a legal chaos. The persecution of political opponents for making political statements — without any accompanying unlawful actions — will deal a devastating blow to the country and ultimately place us in complete isolation," stated Paata Davitaia, Chairman of the European Democrats Party.

"The Constitution of Georgia guarantees freedom of expression. It is absolutely unacceptable to bring criminal charges against politicians who express their opinions during political debates through various media platforms in pursuit of their political goals — which is, in fact, a sign of a democratic system.

The statements made by political leaders have not been followed by any unlawful acts, such as attempts to overthrow the government; therefore, it is categorically unacceptable to charge these political figures under the most severe articles of the Criminal Code merely for their words. If we look at our recent history, almost every political leader involved in Georgian politics over the past 30 years would have had to be prosecuted and imprisoned for similar political statements.

The government's policy toward political opponents will bring irreversible consequences for the country — we will find ourselves in total political isolation, which will have dire repercussions given the current geopolitical situation in the world and in our region.

It is regrettable that the government has chosen the path of persecuting political leaders. This will inevitably backfire like a boomerang, further deepening polarization in the country and ultimately leading to sharp social confrontation and division — the signs of which are already clearly visible. It will drive the country into such an uncontrollable situation that it may take decades to recover," stated Paata Davitaia.