“Peace does not mean unilaterally apologizing and covering one’s head with ashes. In reality, the choice Georgian Dream is offering us is between slavery and freedom,” Freedom Square Secretary General Bakur Kvashilava said on PalitraNews’ program "Day's Newsroom" on the 33rd year of the fall of Sokhumi.

According to him, dignified peace is achieved by standing firmly on one’s own feet, and “you and your friends, rather than the goodwill of your enemy, should be the guarantors of this peace.”

Kvashilava also said that Georgia’s Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers must understand that “you cannot gain independence based on the blood of innocent people.”

“Only one thing will end Russia’s occupation - strengthening Georgia, Georgia’s unity and the right policy. Georgia, together with its allies and friendly states, and with the civilized world, for which the emergence of new countries created through violations of human rights is unacceptable. Such are the so-called Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia.

“The claim that they are entitled to independence is based on one thing: they forcibly expelled peaceful civilians from their territories and homes and do not allow them to return with dignity. Therefore, no elections, plebiscites or referendums that have ever been held in these territories provide any legal basis for these ‘countries’ to be considered worthy of independence by anyone for whom justice is a fundamental principle.

“You cannot gain independence based on the blood of innocent people. Our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers must understand this. Justice does not reward the expulsion of innocent people from their homes or the sacrifice of innocent people. An independent state cannot be built on this. After that, we can talk about apologizing, about the fact that we also made mistakes during the war and that you did too. After that, bridges can be built.

“But the key is understanding that as long as civilization exists, Abkhazia and ‘South Ossetia’ cannot be recognized by countries that are not barbarians as equal and legitimate members of the international system. This is not difficult to understand if we approach the issue consistently and not the way Georgian Dream does.

“If we do not explain what peace means, it is a word that carries no meaning. Peace does not mean unilaterally apologizing and covering one’s head with ashes, especially on the part of someone who lost a confrontation in an unequal struggle against a stronger and unjust opponent - Russia. As a result of the conflict instigated by Russia, a large part of the population was forced to leave their homes and live in unbearable conditions for years. After this, the solution cannot be for you to apologize to the enemy for having been unjustly oppressed. This is not peace; it is closer to slavery.

“In reality, the choice Georgian Dream is offering us is between slavery and freedom, whereas dignified peace is achieved by standing firmly on one’s own feet. You and your friends should be the guarantors of this peace, not the goodwill of your enemy,” Kvashilava said.

Kvashilava also discussed the so-called elections held in Tskhinvali and said that Russia had decided to consolidate control over areas where it holds an advantage.

According to him, Georgian Dream has neither the ability nor the mechanism to protest what he described as ongoing annexation, while its so-called peace policy is actually a policy of being a “completely obedient slave” to Russia.

“I believe Russia is trying, in light of the challenges created by the war in Ukraine, to consolidate control over areas where it has an advantage. Unfortunately, the so-called South Ossetia is such an area for Russia. It is regrettable that Georgian Dream has no mechanism or plan to counter this issue. It cannot even issue an official statement or send protest notes, because its so-called peace policy is actually a policy of being a completely obedient slave to Russia. This is a policy that accepts slavery as peace and, consequently, has no ability to protest the ongoing annexation,” he said.

Regarding other issues, the opposition politician also discussed the statement issued by Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry in response to a statement by the Georgian Patriarchate concerning the Kurmukh Church in Azerbaijan. He said that “such a reaction should be considered inadequate.”

According to him, the statement by Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry shows that Georgian Dream has failed to improve the problems Georgia has with Azerbaijan, adding that “this is not surprising.”

Kvashilava said Georgian Dream representatives do not fear civilized people, while they “tremble at the slightest challenge from others.”

“This points to one thing: under Georgian Dream, practically no progress has been made on important issues with Azerbaijan, such as our cultural heritage. Despite the ‘David Gareji belongs to Georgia’ campaign, Georgian Dream is silent on this issue today because it has no answer. It has failed to improve the problems we have with Azerbaijan, and this is not surprising.

“Georgian Dream is a weak government. This is a government that has neither the support of friends on the international arena nor that of its own people, especially in 2026. Such a weak government finds it difficult to resolve the problems related to our cultural heritage.

“I believe these are issues that a truly national government should openly discuss with Azerbaijan, because there are a number of countries that recognize that historical regions exist within their territories that previously belonged to others and constitute part of their cultural heritage. [The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s] reaction should be considered inadequate.

“Take the David Gareji campaign, for example. It shows how inconsistent Georgian Dream is. When it needs votes and wants to deceive the people, it presents itself as a super-national force. When elections are not approaching, Georgian Dream becomes completely silent.

“Today, those MPs who cannot stop insulting the European Union probably cannot be persuaded to utter a word commenting on the statement of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry. In reality, these are people who tremble with fear in the face of any challenge, as was the case, for example, with the statement by the Iranian ambassador. They fear only those who are civilized, such as the peoples of Europe, while they tremble at the slightest challenge from others. This is a cowardly government on the international arena, and such a government does not befit Georgia,” the opposition politician said.

Regarding the Prime Minister’s remarks about his brief meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Kvashilava said the content of Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement was “comical.”

Specifically, Kvashilava said it was comical to suggest that Kobakhidze had given Trump an ultimatum, telling him that the United States had one last chance to restore relations with Georgian Dream.

“The content of the statement is comical, as if Kobakhidze is telling Trump, ‘We are giving the United States another chance.’ In other words, Kobakhidze supposedly gave Trump an ultimatum: you have one last chance to restore relations with Georgian Dream.

“Yet when there is an issue where an ultimatum or protest is actually warranted, such as the annexation of ‘South Ossetia,’ there is not even talk of a protest note. But you supposedly speak in ultimatums to your friend, whom you know is civilized and will not treat you like a barbaric state.

“How do they imagine that the United States does not see the real steps Georgian Dream takes every day, while at the same time it would believe Kobakhidze’s words that he is now starting something from scratch? All of this is comical and directly tells us that it is intended for a domestic audience, to create the impression that the Georgian government is open to relations with the United States,” Kvashilava said.