Thread by @EtoBuziashvili

Is this "Yanukovich moment" of Georgia’s oligarch? It seems so. Bidzina Ivanishvili, the oligarch behind ruling Georgian Dream confirmed yesterday what we have observed since he came to power in 2012 – he announced a shift in Georgia’s foreign policy & political repressions. 1/13

Below are highlights from oligarch Ivanishvili's à la Lukashenka speech that is a turning moment for Georgia:
He unequivocally labeled the US and EU, the West in general, as a foreign enemy. 2/13

Said that the West plans a coup to overthrow current regime, drag Georgia into war with Russia; previous govt was a Western spy network brought to power by the West & the latter was behind all troubles in Georgia and Ukraine, including 2008, 2014, and 2022 Russian invasions. 3/13

He unequivocally labeled civil society as a domestic enemy. Said that Georgian civil society is part of the Western spy network, along with the political opposition, and that neither can exist without Western support. Announced their destruction after the Oct elections. 4/13

He mentioned Yanukovych and essentially warned against challenging him. He implied that while Ukrainians succeeded in defending their European future and ousting the pro-Russian government, the same will not occur in Georgia. 5/13

He admitted that he needs to adopt a Russian-style "foreign agents law" for political repression. His words suggested that they aim to exhaust civil society and media by focusing on this law now, leaving them with no capacity to defend the elections in October. 6/13

He said "after the elections, the collective United National Movement will face moral and legal responsibility". This is the title of the former governing party, and Ivanishvili uses the term "collective UNM" to describe anyone who disagree with him. 7/13

Nothing new in his speech; however, it's a turnin point bc he officially declared a foreign policy shift. Unfortunately, throughout these years, Georgia's some friends were either naively optimistic or chose to ignore the seriousness of Russian capture bc of various reasons. 8/13

Ivanishvili made his intentions unmistakably clear yesterday. He announced plans for election capture, censorship, and Soviet-style political repression, akin to Lukashenka's rule, to be implemented immediately after the October 2024 elections. 9/13

This means that those of us who desire an independent and free Georgia with a liberal democracy and a Euro-Atlantic future will be faced with the choice of either submitting to Russia-dictated rule or leaving the country. If we do neither, they will imprison us. 10/13

Make no mistake—everything will be done according to Moscow's instructions by an oligarch who amassed his fortune in Russia and came to power in 2012 with the mandate to capture Georgia and turn it into a satellite state of Russia. 11/13

The recent developments necessitate an immediate policy shift from the West regarding Georgia. The West should acknowledge that from now on they are dealing with Lukashenka-style Russia-aligned rule in Georgia and act accordingly. 12/13

As for us, the Georgian people, we have made our intentions clear as well: we will defend our freedom and European future. We are not afraid. See you in front of the Parliament building this evening. 13/13