Exactly one year ago, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s government blocked Georgia’s path to European development, reads a joint statement by non-governmental organizations.

According to the statement, Ivanishvili’s government sacrificed the Georgian state and people, left the country alone in the face of the Russian threat, and cut off the Western world to which we have been striving for centuries.

“On November 28, 2024, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze publicly announced that the opening of negotiations on membership with the European Union had been removed from the agenda. This decision is not only politically criminal, but also a direct insult to the will of Georgian society and a clear violation of Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia.

With this step, Ivanishvili’s government sacrificed the Georgian state and people, left the country alone in the face of the Russian threat, and cut Georgia off the Western world to which we have been striving for centuries.

Russian political circles welcomed the decision of the Georgian Dream, as it is a complete repetition of the interests of Putinist Russia. However, this step was not accepted by the Georgian people, who have been tirelessly fighting for the European future of our country for a year now.

During this year, the Georgian Dream has organized incredible repressions against its own people, who are driven only by love for their country:

A criminal investigation was launched against about 160 citizens

About 300 participants of the rally became victims of torture and inhuman treatment;

More than 600 people were detained on administrative charges;

More than 1,000 citizens were fined for political motives;

There were about 400 cases of arrest, beating and harassment of journalists;

Anti-democratic laws were adopted, which practically force civil organizations to cease their activities.

Today, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s government is routinely:

arresting political party leaders and planning to ban opposition parties;

persecuting civil society and punishing solidarity and compassion;

purging state institutions of professionals and honest officials.

All of this has led to Georgia’s international isolation. Relations with the European Union and the United States have deteriorated dramatically. The Georgian Dream government insults its Western partners every day and spreads disinformation about their leaders.”

“Georgian society does not want to live under Russian authoritarianism. Our nation still stands guard over independence, dignity, and a European future.

We are fighting for Georgia to return to the European path of development, where:

The rights of all citizens are protected;

No force can steal the people’s choice;

No one is imprisoned on political grounds;

The European future is ensured by a real, not an imaginary choice.

We thank everyone who joined this struggle, who did not give up, and together we are building a European, free, democratic Georgia,” reads the statement.

The statement is signed by the following organizations:

"Transparency International-Georgia"

"Georgian Future Academy"

"Georgian European Orbit"

"Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC)"

"Prevention for Progress"

"Women's Initiatives Supporting Group"

"Green Alternative"

"Democracy Research Institute (DRI)"

"Civil Society Foundation"

"Civil Movement for Freedom (CMF)"

"Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies "

"Human Rights Center (HRC)"

"Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI)"

"Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI)"

"Partnership for Human Rights (PHR)"

"Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA)"

"Kvareli Euroclub “

“Tbilisi Pride”

“International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy. (ISFED)”

“Defenders of Democracy “

“Sapari”.