“It is not just several parties being banned. A fairly large segment of society that has been involved in public life in some form over recent years is effectively being prohibited from engaging in political activity. You can work out for yourselves which political groups Ivanishvili’s family clan is leaving on the political field,” Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, wrote on social media.

Japaridze said it was important to understand the situation correctly to avoid creating false expectations. He also stressed the importance of continuing the struggle wherever and in whatever form possible.

“Incorrect assessments and false expectations are dangerous. ‘Banning parties’ is an incorrect assessment that creates false expectations. If you look at the constitutional lawsuit, amendments to the Law on Political Associations of Citizens, amendments to the Criminal Code, and amendments to the Law on Grants together, the outcome will be as follows:

“All leaders of the four coalitions and parties that participated in the 2024 ‘elections’ and won seats will be either in prison or abroad.

“Everyone on the electoral lists of those same four coalitions and parties — 600 people in total — will be effectively prohibited from engaging in political activity, along with members of the Federalists.

“Everyone who has worked in the civil society sector over the past eight years and has received a grant or salary from a foreign organisation at least once will also be effectively prohibited from engaging in political activity. I do not know whether this group numbers several thousand or tens of thousands.

“If anyone tries to establish a new party that includes even one person from those 600 or from these thousands — or tens of thousands — that party will also be banned.

“Generally speaking, if you become a genuine threat to Ivanishvili’s family clan, you will be banned and/or end up behind bars.

“None of this is stated so explicitly. There may be exceptions for some people who bow their heads and/or help create the appearance of democracy. But, taken together, this is the direction Ivanishvili and the Russians are heading.

“So, it is not just several parties being banned. A fairly large segment of society that has been involved in public life in some form over recent years is effectively being prohibited from engaging in political activity.

“It is important to see the situation for what it is.

“You can work out for yourselves which political groups Ivanishvili’s family clan is leaving on the political field.

“I do not know where a saviour on a white horse, with enough charisma, courage, political capital, and the unwavering trust of the people to slay the dragon, is supposed to emerge from if they have shown no interest in public life, expressed no concern, and done nothing over recent years. But those who have found refuge here are welcome to keep waiting.

“It is possible to stop this and dismantle the evil system.

“To do so, we need to: See the situation clearly and avoid false expectations. Stop lamenting. People have endured much worse and defeated forces far more powerful than these. Continue the struggle wherever and however we can. October 25, at 7:00 p.m., outside Tbilisi State University,” Japaridze wrote on his personal social media page.