Ruling party can “fully protect” country’s national identity, restore sovereignty, territorial integrity, join EU - honorary Chair Ivanishvili

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former Prime Minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, who was earlier today elected the honorary Chair of the GD party, said the ruling party had the opportunity to “fully protect” Georgia’s national identity, restore the state sovereignty and territorial integrity, put Georgia in the ranks of high-income countries by 2030, and join the European Union.

In his address at the congress meeting of the ruling party, Ivanishvili explained that the responsibility “to lead our country [Georgia] to final victory” and “make full use of opportunities [of the country] has brought him back to politics”.

Our motherland, our honourable and proud nation [Georgia] deserves only the best. It is the responsibility of each of us to work until the end for the progress and success of Georgia. It was this liability that brought me back to politics once again”, he said.

He noted that he was returning to political life at his own initiative after “distancing himself from active political processes”, stressing he did not come into politics for any position and citing his “unprecedented” decision in 2013 to resign after serving as the PM, as he had promised during his election campaign.

I left politics in one year [after serving as the PM] with the belief that I had accomplished my mission and the criminals [the former ruling team of the United National Movement] would never have the ambition to return to power. However, as it turned out later, the criminal political system had deeper roots than it seemed at first glance”, Ivanishvili added.

The newly elected GD honorary Chair emphasised he “had to return” to politics in 2018, recalling “then EU Ambassador’s” words, that “if he did not return, nothing would be left of the ruling party”. Ivanishvili said he left politics for the second time only after fulfilling his mission by rebuilding the system in the party and organising the team “from scratch”.

The only thing I could not foresee [after leaving politics] was the betrayal of the country and the team by Giorgi Gakharia, [the former GD Prime Minister] just one month after I distanced myself from politics. At that time, I had to assume the function of an advisor, and if I had not helped the team with consultations, the processes would have developed in the most difficult scenario for the country”, Ivanishvili explained.

Georgia is facing difficult challenges today, including the complicated geopolitical situation around the country, the former PM said, adding in such times, “even a small mistake” on the part of the Government could “cost the country dearly”. 

Georgia's national goals can be considered essentially fulfilled only after we fully protect the national identity, fully restore the state's sovereignty, unite the country and perform foreign political tasks - Georgia's main foreign political task today is integration into the EU”, Ivanishvili stressed.

Speaking about domestic opposition, “responsible for controlling the ruling team”, Ivanishvili said “unfortunately, the opposition has been completely destroyed”, adding “instead of the opposition parties’ effective control, there is only a torrent of lies flowing daily from their media outlets, that has become so worn out that it can no longer cause even the slightest discomfort to the ruling team”.

In the conditions of the destruction of the opposition, the risks in the ruling team are increasing. The absence of the opposition can easily make the ruling party dizzy and at ease”, Ivanishvili emphasised.

The honorary Chair of the GD party said as the party required “a centre of gravity” within the team, he would undertake his mission as the “main advisor” of the ruling team.