Georgian pro-Russian parties united
In Georgia, so-called conservative parties have united and held a joint press conference on June 24. A member of this new electoral alliance is the radical pro-Russian organization “Alt-Info,” known for the aggressive behavior of its supporters.
In April 2024, Georgia’s Central Election Commission suspended the registration process for “Alt-Info” to participate in the crucial parliamentary elections in October, citing violations.
“We will not only overcome the electoral threshold, but we will also enter the Georgian parliament with a substantial presence,” said Irma Inashvili, one of the leaders of the pro-Russian “Alliance of Patriots of Georgia,” which has also joined this electoral bloc.
Irma Inashvili stated that, in reality, the ruling party has been deliberately fighting not so much against the “National Movement” (one of the opposition parties founded by former president Mikheil Saakashvili) but against the conservative wing in politics for many years.
“On one hand, there is an alliance of ultraliberals in Georgia – you could call it the ‘collective Saakashvili’ – which includes the ‘National Movement’ and its offshoots. On the other hand, there is the liberal ruling party ‘Georgian Dream,’ which only pretends to be conservative,” said Irma Inashvili.
This idea is supported by another leader of the “Alliance of Patriots,” David Tarkhan-Mouravi.
“It is clear that a war with Russia is not in Georgia’s interest. We cannot win such a war. We should find a common language with Russia and maintain calm, peaceful relations. But ‘Georgian Dream’ is essentially the same as the ‘National Movement,’ containing people ‘imported from there.’ For 12 years, they have been trying to destroy all conservative forces in the country and take their place,” said Tarkhan-Mouravi.
The leader of “Alt-Info,” Zurab Makharadze, declared that the new electoral bloc prioritizes the national interests of Georgia above all else.
“This is a unity of people who are ready to engage in dialogue with any side. For a politician, having a pro-Western, pro-Russian, pro-Turkish, or pro-Chinese stance is a betrayal of Georgia. The only correct stance is a pro-Georgian stance.
Many seek a patron abroad and view everything through that lens, treating their relationships with other countries as ‘patron-vassal.’ But our unity is about people who assert that Georgia’s national interests come first, and any dialogue or relationship with any side must be based on this principle,” said Makharadze.
