Levan Sanikidze: The issue of our departure from the Alliance was brought up at the wrong time - Political parties are being lined up for execution - Anyone who thinks the government can be changed without unity either views the world through rose-colored glasses or is acting in bad faith

“We are moving backwards at a very rapid pace, and even what we already have may soon need to be defended,” Levan Sanikidze, one of the leaders of the United National Movement, said in response to the presentation of the EU Enlargement Package and the European Commission’s report on Georgia.

Speaking on PalitraNews’ programme Free Studio, Sanikidze said that visa-free travel to the European Union could face serious challenges.

Sanikidze described the European Commission’s latest report as significantly tougher than the previous one, arguing that the “immoral actions” of the ruling team have pushed the country backwards. As a result, he said, discussions with Western partners now also involve defending one of the Georgian people's key achievements – visa liberalization.

The opposition politician added that, amid Georgian Dream’s policies, the opposition is actively working with international partners to ensure that Georgian citizens do not lose visa-free travel to the EU because of the government's actions.

“This report is much tougher than the previous one. Unfortunately, over the past year, Georgia’s de facto Georgian Dream government has committed numerous additional immoral acts from both a political and moral-ethical standpoint.

Under these circumstances, we can certainly say that Georgia’s accession to the European Union is completely frozen. Unfortunately, our discussion will no longer be about progress, but rather about how we are moving backwards at a very rapid pace and how even what we already have may need to be defended.

Problems could arise regarding our candidate status, while visa-free travel could also face serious challenges. At every meeting with our Western partners, we emphasize that the Georgian people should not be deprived of visa-free travel within the European Union. This is an achievement of the Georgian people and belongs to those who defended democracy,” Levan Sanikidze stated.

According to Sanikidze, Europe is witnessing the removal of leaders displaying authoritarian tendencies, while Georgia has fallen out of step with this trend.

Sanikidze said that the authoritarianism being built by Georgian Dream founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili, as well as his gamble with the country's future, is harming not only the pro-Western opposition but also the entire Georgian state and even Georgian Dream's own voters.

“One thing must be clearly understood: this process will not harm only voters with sound political judgment, commonly referred to as pro-Western voters. There are also followers of an unhealthy political force, Georgian Dream, and they will face problems as well.

The gamble Ivanishvili is taking with this country's future is dragging the entire country backwards. That is the real tragedy: Georgian Dream is crossing a line beyond which the damage will no longer be limited to the party itself and a few of its leaders. The entire Georgian state is suffering. Our international reputation is in an extremely difficult position.

At present, we have fallen out of step with the trend unfolding in the European Union and across the European continent in general. Leaders displaying authoritarian tendencies are being removed, from Orbán to Vučić. Meanwhile, Mr. Ivanishvili is rapidly laying the foundations of authoritarianism here. Georgia has fallen out of the cycle unfolding in Europe – the collapse of pro-Russian, authoritarian regimes,” Sanikidze stated.

In addition to discussing the European Commission’s report and criticizing Georgian Dream's rule, Sanikidze also addressed the United National Movement's decision to leave the opposition alliance.

Sanikidze believes that bringing the issue to the forefront happened at the wrong time. Specifically, the opposition politician argues that Bidzina Ivanishvili intends to ban opposition parties through the Constitutional Court, thereby officially eliminating the very possibility of holding elections in the country. Against this backdrop, the ongoing “competition” within the opposition is counterproductive, as changing the government without a certain degree of unity is impossible.

“I will try to avoid going into this issue in detail as much as possible. This unprecedented competition is counterproductive. I do not believe that the government can be changed in this country without a certain degree of unity. That is simply not true. Anyone who says otherwise either views the world through rose-colored glasses or is acting in bad faith, because deep down they also understand that changing the government without unity is impossible.

I believe this issue was brought to the forefront at a very inappropriate time. Particularly now, when Ivanishvili has effectively lined up opposition parties for execution before the Constitutional Court – I am referring to their legal registration status. Nobody should claim that this is not a problem, because that would be a lie.

The very idea of elections in this country was already practically dead, and what is happening now will amount to its official burial. Who is supposed to run in elections if the entire opposition is banned? If all five parties are banned, the others will also be banned within 14 days. Ivanishvili is officially eliminating the very idea of elections in this country,” Sanikidze stated.