“We’re not immune to criticism, but there are individuals and political parties whose opinions we simply don’t care about. Attending the investigative commission was personally Giorgi Gakharia’s decision – ‘Georgian Dream’ is using this commission as a tool of hybrid warfare, and apart from Giorgi Gakharia, no one else dared go there and confront them,” said Berdia Sichinava, a member of “Gakharia – For Georgia,” during Palitra News’ program Day Newsroom, in response to Gakharia’s recent appearance at a parliamentary investigative commission session.
Sichinava explained why Gakharia chose to attend the session:
“Giorgi Gakharia has never avoided questions, and he answered them in this format too. ‘Georgian Dream’ is using this commission as a tool of hybrid warfare and to psychologically influence our citizens. Their election campaign was built on the narrative of war and peace, and then they came out saying, ‘We should talk more about peace.’ Now, they’re using this tool unilaterally, and no one else dared to show up and face them. They’re trying to devalue everything – the heroism of Antsukhelidze, everything. They want to smear it all in mud, just like they themselves are drowning in it. In Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgia, there should be no authorities or role models. That’s the problem. Antsukhelidze’s sacrifice should mean nothing, because it might stand in the way of people like Mdinaradze, Kobakhidze, Aluda Ghudushauri, Zarkua – this is Ivanishvili’s dream Georgia, where everyone thinks as he does. That’s why they fight against heroes and values. The only value for ‘Dream’ is keeping power and bleeding the country dry…”
“For four years, there were legends that Gakharia resigned because of someone or was forced by foreigners. He answered all those questions convincingly. Now there are no doubts left that on the night of his resignation, the ‘invisible hand’ – Ivanishvili – was arranging certain processes behind Gakharia’s back. He didn’t deny it. Commission members are expected to be impartial, objective, and politically neutral. Many of them were direct witnesses of the events back then. Yet they couldn’t uphold the principle of objectivity. Six or seven people attacked him at once, and under those conditions, we still managed to expose ‘Georgian Dream’s’ propaganda. Today, these people are like ostriches with their heads buried in the sand. They can’t face any problems. They’re playing commission games – these are the people who can’t even show their faces on the street. We need to take the conversation to the field and speak directly to their voters, to show them what weaklings these people are.”
Regarding the arrest of Nika Melia, Sichinava said the planned operation that night would have inevitably led to bloodshed. When Gakharia opposed it, most of the political council supported him at first, but then suddenly changed their positions.
“On January 11, Bidzina Ivanishvili announced he was leaving politics, but after that, he started interfering again in political processes and ministerial decisions. His goal was to stay in the background and still be the leader – to have a prime minister like the one he has now. You know what kind of PM Irakli Kobakhidze is? You can make him say whatever you want, label anything as anything,” Sichinava said.
As for the opposition parties criticizing Gakharia for attending the session, Sichinava urged them to tone down the emotions.
“We don’t care about relationships with these people. Don’t portray cooperating with the commission as giving Parliament legitimacy. So these people should bite their tongues. I ask these same people, who are accused of not cooperating with the commission – why did you cooperate with Murusidze’s judiciary? Will you pay the bail? Calm down, stop ranting nonsense and making offensive remarks. Relax, look at your donors – where did the money come from? Then we can talk about other things. These people need a reality check,” Sichinava added.
Regarding claims that the refusal to cooperate with the investigative commission was a collective decision made under the “Resistance Platform” with President Salome Zurabishvili, and whether Gakharia’s attendance would lead to their party leaving that format, Sichinava said:
“There won’t be any issue with leaving that format. Did Giorgi Gakharia promise anything to Gvaramia? Leaving Salome Zurabishvili’s format won’t be a problem either. We only intersect on two issues – beyond that, we have no connection. What obligations are they even talking about? Let them calm down and look at things rationally. If they regret not attending the commission, that’s their issue,” he said.
On the topic of “Georgian Dream” recently stating that banning the “collective United National Movement” parties before the local elections is not feasible, and that opposition parties will be allowed to participate again, Sichinava said he was always sure the ruling party wouldn’t succeed in banning them.
“I was sure they couldn’t ban the United National Movement. That would be a formalization of dictatorship – they’d burn every bridge and leave no room for dialogue. They’ve lost control of their own words – who exactly are they going to ban? Givi Mikanadze? Beka Odisharia? Participation in local elections is up to the voters. I don’t believe other parties aren’t preparing for these elections. Local elections shouldn’t become a dividing line. That’s not what society is asking for,” said Berdia Sichinava.
