Giga Bokeria: Ivanishvili’s regime seeks to use repressive methods and a deluge of manipulative propaganda to make society put up with the loss of statehood; the banning of political parties also serves this purpose – to make people put up with this reality, this will not happen

Ivanishvili’s regime seeks—through repressive methods and a deluge of manipulative propaganda—to condition society to accept the loss of statehood, corruption, the enrichment of Ivanishvili and his inner circle at the expense of the public’s future, and the prospect of being left alone to face Russia—a scenario tantamount to the loss of statehood. The banning of political parties serves this very purpose: to habituate the people to such a reality. But this will not happen. Giga Bokeria, one of the leaders of The Federalists, stated at the start of a protest rally.

According to him, the primary task for opposition parties now is to present an alternative to the public, enabling the organization of a peaceful protest movement "that the repressive apparatus of Ivanishvili’s regime can no longer withstand."

"The Ivanishvili regime seeks—through repressive methods and a deluge of manipulative propaganda—to condition society to accept the loss of our statehood, corruption, the enrichment of Ivanishvili and his inner circle at the expense of our future, and our isolation in the face of Russia—which is tantamount to losing our statehood. They want us to accept the catastrophe unfolding in education, healthcare, and every other sphere of life.

It is the task of all of us—of society as a whole, regardless of our varying political taste—to prevent this. The move to ban political parties is also intended to serve this purpose: to habituate the people to such realities. But this will not happen. Georgian society made its choice long ago and has made great sacrifices to ensure we live in an independent state—a state where the government is accountable to its citizens, and where power does not exist merely to enrich one man and his entourage at the expense of our children’s future.

This is the objective behind these actions, as well as the rally on November 28—a date marking the moment power was usurped. It is a day that signals their intent to force us to accept the loss of our statehood; to convince us that our place is not in a free, independent state, but rather in a 'Russian swamp'—which effectively means renouncing our independence."

The task for us—the political forces—is to present a compelling alternative to the public, enabling us to organize a level of peaceful protest that the repressive apparatus of the Ivanishvili regime can no longer withstand—much like what happened 36 years ago against the Soviet-Russian regime—in order to create the conditions under which free elections become possible," stated Giga Bokeria.