Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on July 16 addressed a ministerial in Washington, D.C., hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on the “Resurgence of Political Terrorism,” an event focused on what the U.S. State Department described as “far-left political terrorism” that brought together representatives from nearly 60 countries.
Botchorishvili’s Address
In her address, published by Georgia’s Foreign Ministry, Botchorishvili spoke about “political terrorism,” which she said is manifested, among other ways, “in the name of democracy.” She also criticized international institutions that she said “exert political pressure” on sovereign states.
“The discussion could not be more timely as we face complex and evolving challenges that directly affect our national interests, sovereignty, and security. Around the world, radical groups operate under different ideological banners — including, at times, in the name of democracy. Yet their objective is not to strengthen democratic institutions, but to weaken them,” Botchorishvili said, as quoted in the ministry’s press release.
According to her, “Georgia serves as a compelling example” of these challenges, saying the country has witnessed “repeated attempts” to undermine its democratic institutions, including “coordinated campaigns” aimed at “discrediting state institutions.” She added that the country has also witnessed “attempts by radical groups to use violence and acts of sabotage as political instruments.”
She continued, “Equally concerning are efforts to exploit international institutions to legitimize such actions — through resolutions and other mechanisms designed to exert political pressure on sovereign states while undermining the reputation and credibility of these institutions.”
In her concluding remarks, Botchorishvili said political terrorism “does not always appear in its most visible form” but can also emerge “through intimidation, political violence and systematic efforts to weaken democratic institutions from within.”
Ministerial
In its July 15 press release ahead of the event, the U.S. State Department said the ministerial would focus on “far-left political terrorism,” which it said manifests itself in “violent acts” across the globe that are “not isolated incidents” but reflect a “deliberate” and “ideologically motivated strategy” to destabilize societies by targeting, among others, private citizens, government officials and law enforcement officers.
The State Department statement specifically referred to groups such as “Antifa Ost,” the “Informal Anarchist Federation/International Revolutionary Front (FAI/FRI),” “Armed Proletarian Justice,” and “Revolutionary Class Self-Defense,” which the United States designated as terrorist organizations in 2025.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said in a July 16 press release that the ministerial aimed to discuss “ways to combat the new wave of political violence and the activities of extremist groups,” particularly by “strengthening effective international cooperation and further enhancing joint efforts in this area.” Botchorishvili was also seen posing alongside Rubio and other participants in the ministerial’s group photo.
Botchorishvili’s participation at the event follows intensifying exchanges between Tbilisi and Washington amid the Georgian Dream government’s stated efforts to reset relations with the United States “from a clean slate” and resume the strategic partnership “with a specific roadmap.” Washington, under President Joe Biden, suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia in November 2024 amid the Tbilisi protests and later that year sanctioned the ruling party’s billionaire founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili. The Donald Trump administration has yet to reverse those decisions.
Kobakhidze on ‘Political Terrorism’
In a late-night interview on July 16 with the pro-government Imedi TV talk show Imedi Live, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze spoke, among other topics, about the Washington ministerial, saying, “Georgia’s example is one of the best when it comes to political terrorism.”
In this context, Kobakhidze referred to the rule of the former United National Movement government from 2004-2012 and the period since 2020, citing one of the Georgian Dream’s claims about “five revolutionary attempts in four years.” He accused the opposition, which he called “agentura” [foreign spy network], of subjecting the country to “constant political terror.”
He said the government had taken steps against this, describing the “Transparency Law,” better known as the Foreign Agents Law, as “the law against political terror,” and made the same claim about controversial amendments to the Laws on Assemblies and Manifestations and the Administrative Code.
Speaking about the Foreign Agents Law, Kobakhidze accused former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan of a “political terror act,” citing a 2023 statement by the U.S. Embassy that described the adoption of the law as a “dark day” for Georgia’s democracy.
“This was also an act of political terror. The statement made by the then-U.S. ambassador was also an act of political terror, as she told the Georgian people a shameful lie and thereby artificially encouraged revolutionary processes in our country. This was political terror,” Kobakhidze said.
Also Read:
- 09/06/2026 – U.S. House Passes Bill Requiring Report on Russian, Chinese Influence in Georgia, Strategy on Bilateral Ties
- 04/06/2026 – Kobakhidze Comments on Rubio, Wilson’s Remarks, Rejects ‘Pro-Iranian’ Allegations
- 03/06/2026 – Rubio Hopes for Change in ‘Trajectory’ of U.S. Relationship with Georgia and of Tbilisi’s ‘Behavior’
