200 000 Georgians. No pressure, no threat works. The more Government intimidates, more people gather. New
#Georgia
🇬🇪was born today - fearless & united. Notwithstanding how this protest ends, it is the end of Ivanishvili & Russian influence in Georgia.
📹
@mari_nikuradze
Image of victory of 🇬🇪🇪🇺 future. Very touching story behind: This is a famous Georgian family of artists (Kipshidze). Daughter Natalie is protesting the Russian law, father and grandfather supported it. As an active participant of demonstration, Natalie was taken to the Court
Georgia’s governance system & Ruling Party’s priorities in one picture: Oligarch Ivanishvili’s son, his assistants - Georgia’s PM
@PM_Kobakhidze
& Mayor
@kakhakala
& Russian Khabib Nurmahomedov (Khadyrov’s favorite). It is our duty to end this in October.
Tbilisi Mayor
@kakhakala
on the West: „If anyone wants to open a second front of war they have Baltic states“.
I’m sorry to share this, but I think It’s important for partners to know.
It was raining, but people were flooding streets and squares, not the rain. Rain didn’t stop 200 000 Georgians to gather and protest Russian law.
#TbilisiProtests
Happy to share that I am fully recovered and back to work. Thank you all for your kind words & support, I wish all of you health and safety!
#covidfree
#backtonormal
BREAKING: ❗️Prosecutor General just resigned. I was expecting this decision of Ivanishvili. His term was expiring soon after parliamentary elections. Ivanishvili is preparing to lose and he is securing election of new loyal Prosecutor General for 6 years before parliamentary
❗️Constitutional order is totally broken down in the Country, violence is in progress. Representatives of opposition are attacked at their doorsteps. Those critical to Government are subjected to search and arrest! Russian methods to full extent.
Russian law already in practice. Strongly condemn the attack on
@IDFI
Chair
@g_kldiashvili
&
@FormulaGe
team. Clear result of Government’s attempt to vilify NGOs & media. Violence is encouraged, not prevented. It happened few days after attack on teacher Apkhazava.
📹
@TvPirveli
Big day for Georgia 🇬🇪- we’ve received the questionnaire on
#EU
🇪🇺application. Time for unity & joint efforts. Admission of existing gaps & timely response will determine the success of the application process. We have to thank
#Ukraine
🇺🇦 & heroes for making it possible.
It is clear that Georgian people need help. We need strong support of Western friends and partners. In the absence of constitutional order, fearless Georgians are left with bare hands against oppressive Government. Ivanishvili will not stop. He wants to „win“ before elections.
Comment at anti-Russian law rally: Protest should continue peacefully till elections. Anger should be translated into votes against the Government. We
@ForGeorgia25
are represented in huge numbers and will stand here till the end.
JUST IN ❗️: Our party member Koka Kobaladze reports from the Rustaveli Avenue. Police has blocked all crossing streets apparently for violent dispersal. Protesters are in real danger.
Government mobilized so-called Titushky to beat up protesters. They’ve just physical attacked peaceful demonstrators. In parallel Ivanishvili is fueling provocations to „justify“ use of excessive force. Danger of civic confrontation is real. The responsibility is on Ivanishvili.
When you call a President
@Zourabichvili_S
a traitor in front of an army, on Independence Day, it means you
@PM_Kobakhidze
have absolutely no idea of State and its interests. But I’m not surprised from a person who has never visited occupation line and can’t dare to call Russia
Government: Protesters against Russian law are satanists.
Protesters: celebrating Easter at the main Rustaveli avenue in Kashveti Church, with candles & in prayers.
#TbilisiProtests
#NoToRussianLaw
Any compromise with Ivanishvili from opposition as well as from the West will be a treason of Georgian people. Russian law is Russian law & it must be withdrawn. The only foreign influence🇬🇪should be fighting against is Russian influence. We don’t have a right to let people down.
Tbilisi Mayor & General Secretary of
@GeorgianDream41
@kakhakala
calling
#US
🇺🇸an enemy. Remember:
@GovernmentGeo
is no more speaking in the name of Georgian people. They stand on the opposite sides - people with bright
#European
🇪🇺future, Government with dark Soviet past.
BREAKING: ❗️Ruling Party initiated amendments to the Electoral Code - another step towards
#electoral
#fraud
& first practical step to conduct
#elections
without reliable observers🧵
▪️Number of votes required for decision-making by
@cecgovge
is decreased from 2/3 to simple
Georgian Government is unconstitutional & illegitimate - by adopting
#Russian
#Law
the Ruling Party violated Article 78 of the Constitution (Georgia’s EU & NATO integration).
Ivanishvili today:
West is a danger to sovereignty;
West is planning a revolution;
West was behind UNM atrocities;
West wants to capture CEC & Court;
West confronted🇬🇪to Russia in 2008;
Global War Party controls NATO & EU;
Not a single word on Russia.
I’m leaving the public service with groundbreaking 13 years behind. Thanks to all partners for their immense support. Special gratitude to
@GakhariaGiorgi
for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the development agenda 🇬🇪. New ideas and perspectives are ahead.
Since my resignation, I’ve been asked daily about my further plans: planning to apply my experience & knowledge from the outside to support the Democracy, Judiciary and Law Enforcement, where challenges still prevails and should be addressed with joint efforts
#newbeginings
This detention drifted all existing challenges to the surface. Hope once political tension is away, we will re-think on the must of complex reforms of the Justice System. Ruining the image of the country w/name of the “Law Enforcement”, where law could be enforced otherwise.
Thrilled to witness an ever-growing
#Georgia
-
#US
multi-dimensional alliance. American support in democratic consolidation & rule of law is so vital. Crucial discussions for 🇬🇪 were held today between PM
@GakhariaGiorgi
&
@SecPompeo
on regional geopolitics & Black Sea security.
Russian law is Russian law. It must be withdrawn. No amendments will make it European. Any compromise in that direction will help Government & let people down. No compromises should be accepted.
@EU_Commission
@EUCouncil
@EUinGeorgia
📢Comment at anti-Russian law rally.
"Freemasons have an influence on politics, on everything..." 🕵️
In Tbilisi
@lewis_goodall
spoke to an MP from the governing Georgian Dream party. Its leader, the Prime Minister, blames the country's ills on 'the global war party' - a mysterious, multinational organisation. 🇬🇪
As
#UDHR
has it "All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms". I stand as an ally with LGBTI people in Georgia and Worldwide
#IDAHOT
#NOTOHOMOPHOBIA
❗️According to the new amendments to the
#Russian
#law
:
- Individuals are required to disclose classified information related to their sexual life, political views, religious beliefs, health conditions and etc. Refusal to comply with the request entails fine 5000 Gel.
-
Frankly, I don’t think EU candidate’s status should be taken away from Georgia. It is obtained by the people, showing the World that they strongly disagree with the authoritarian, anti-Western Government. People need incentives, not disappointments. We’re already two steps behind
Two attempts of revolution planned by NGOs in
#Georgia
🇬🇪
@PM_Kobakhidze
just spoke about the real motives behind the Russian law. Ivanishvili knows he is losing
#elections
& GD is trying to clean the field from
#observers
to manipulate results without watchdogs
@osce_odihr
Saakashvili mobilized public sector & organized such forced rally in 2012. Ivanishvili is doing the same today. We have all seen how UNM ended. We are witnessing the same end of GD. Civil servants taken to demonstrations against their will, usually vote against the Government.
Protection of Human Rights in times of pandemic was the key topic at the
#Human
Rights Council 2020 chaired by the
#PM
of Georgia. No success has meaning without promoting & respecting HR. Special thanks to
@Dunja_Mijatovic
&
@CarlHartzellEU
for being with us
#GoG
#HR4all
@RozaMimoza12
First of all, write in English. I’ve already seen both Russian and American laws and Georgia one is Russian line by line. All protesters have done the same. So, go and bother someone else with that Russian and GeoGovernment propaganda.
🧵State of Georgian🇬🇪democracy from now on until
#elections
:
❌NO independent Judiciary;
❌NO independent Prosecution;
❌NO independent Police;
❌NO independent Special Investigation Service;
❌NO independent Anti-Corruption Bureau;
❌NO independent State Security Service;
❌NO
❗️Batumi last night. Government writing „agent“, „traitor“ on the walls of houses of NGO representatives and political party offices. Our team spent entire night in the office as GD violent mob was operating at night.
Many thanks to
@ViolavonCramon
for always standing with
#Georgia
🇬🇪& its people, not with any of the parties, under both GD & UNM Governments. Georgian people are extremely grateful for your steadfast support & contribution to Georgia’s
#democracy
&
#European
future.
❗️Real motives behind the
#Russian
#law
:
- Fines;
- Confiscation;
- Closure of NGOs.
❗️Ultimately
#elections
without observation missions.
Mayor of Tbilisi & General Secretary of GD
@kakhakala
on NGOs going to disobey the „law“.
✔️Comments to be considered while evaluating
❗️Watch this government-organized terror which just took place in Samegrelo region. GD propaganda instrument PosTV intruded into the house of government critics & intimidated them in the presence of children & elderly. Victim is a famous orange seller & his family who recently
My
#Georgia
🇬🇪qualified for
@EURO2024
for the first time in history! This is us! This is
#Europe
!🇪🇺This is unity! Our national football team made a history! This dance clearly represents our joy today.
#GeorgiainEurope
Authoritarian practices already in place even without adoption of the Russian law. During the second reading Ruling Party was turning of microphone & silencing opposition MPs as well as NGO representatives. There are no remaining questions about real goals of the Russian law.
Watch Ivanishvili blaming the „Global War Party“, which has influence over
@NATO
&
#EU
🇪🇺, in confronting
#Georgia
with
#Russia
in 2008. All his speech was about the West planning a revolution in Georgia to seize power & appoint its agents to rule.
Following adoption of
#Russian
#law
GD revealing its real purpose: recognition of rigged
#elections
by public & prevention of protests through destroying trust in observations & donors by calling them LGBT defenders, church haters, radicals etc.
@osce_odihr
@usingeo
@EUinGeorgia
Two briefings were held this evening by PM & Minister of Internal Affairs - messages of threat & punishment were sent. According to them, Ivanishvili is not going to back off, Russian law will be enacted & violent dispersal is expected within next two days.
Ruling Georgian Dream party and Saakashvili both attacked Natalie Sabanadze today for her excellent speech in
@HelsinkiComm
and guess why? Because she represented neither GD nor UNM interests but interests of Georgia. It is how they understand putting Country’s interests first.
Another Russia-inspired initiative voiced today by Speaker
@shpapuashvili
- creation of special database providing a list of people with dissenting opinion. Back in USSR.
To Georgia’s true international friends & partners:
#Russian
#law
must be withdrawn. No amendments will make it European, because legislative intent is Russian. Any such compromise will let down Georgian people & help Government.
@EU_Commission
@StateDept
@usingeo
@EUinGeorgia
Speaker
@shpapuashvili
accuses
#US
in supporting radical/revolutionary scenarios in
#Georgia
, while the same Government denies
#Russian
threats to 🇬🇪sovereignty & risks of interference of occupier in upcoming
#elections
. Goal of the Russian bill becoming more & more obvious.
Deputy Chair of EU integration Committee who just supported Russian law. His name is among 83. These people shouldn’t be welcome in Brussels. They are taking away what was obtained by Georgian people.
The guy from the last year’s iconic pic - Koka Kobaladze, always in the center of protests. Very talented young poet, proudly representing
@ForGeorgia25
in Borjomi municipality.
#TbilisiProtests
🇬🇪knows the price of the west’s insufficient reaction over Russian occupation in 2008, still facing its grievances.🇺🇦 should’t experience the same. Adequate & timely response is vital!
There will be no
#EU
flags on
#Georgia
’s independence day this year. It wouldn’t carry any symbolism if not Government’s obvious shift in foreign policy. We will bring the flag & EU back.🇬🇪
#independence
&
#sovereignty
is in 🇪🇺, it has never been in Russia & will never be!
This is
@GeorgianDream41
today. UNM applied such punitive measures. I was a prosecutor on Merabishvili’s May 26 case. Dozens of such video evidence were in the case files. I wonder what GD supporters are standing for ? It was not acceptable from UNM, but it is acceptable from GD.
❗️Speaker
@shpapuashvili
just green lighted violence against opposition. And this is what
@PM_Kobakhidze
calls peaceful pre-election environment. Papuashvili is the one who incited violence against activist Berdzenishvili couple of weeks ago, which resulted in physical attack
Children should be the central point not only on this day, but on each and every day of our lives! They deserve 2 live in violence-free, prosperous & fair world and we should act NOW to achieve this!
#InternationalChildrensDay
!
I’ve read dozens of opinions of
@VeniceComm
on
#Georgia
🇬🇪. None of them were so critical & straightforward. According to Commission, Russian law is good neither in text, nor in purpose or legislative intent. I have never seen such harsh criticism of legislative process – from
The widow of🇬🇪national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, tortured & killed by Russians during 2008 war: „Georgians have been striving towards Europe for centuries... It was for this goal & the fight for freedom that our family members sacrificed for their children's better future“.
Spoke to
@CounselorDOS
and expressed my sincere disappointment with the two revolution attempts of 2020-2023 supported by the former US Ambassador and those carried out through NGOs financed from external sources. Had these attempts been successful, the second front line would
Perfect illustration of Georgia’s Ruling Party being neither pro-Russian, nor pro-Western, but pro-themselves, depending on which can ensure their indefinite ruling at best. No National dignity, zero ideology, zero values.
#President
didn’t violate the Constitution, because according to the Article 78, as a constitutional body she is required to act in 🇬🇪
#EU
& Euro-Atlantic
#integration
interests. Government violated the same article by blocking her visits & those who will vote for
#impeachment
.
#Georgia
’s foreign
#agents
’ bill was not just a bill, it was an attempt by the Government to sabotage
#EU
🇪🇺candidacy. Although withdrawn, the Ruling Party continues to support the idea: 1/2 🧵
Just a remainder: within last 2 days, our personal data has been widely illegally used by Government & zero reaction from the Personal Data Protection Service. In case anyone still naively believes that its’s independent.
Ivanishvili’s🇷🇺plan of action today:
▪️Morning: Speaker justified violence;
▪️Afternoon: Security Service announced alleged revolution;
▪️Evening: Police announced violent dispersal of protest;
▪️Night: Series of physical attacks on opposition;
❓Next: Apparently state of🚨