Georgian leader slams opposition tactics, urges calm ahead of elections

President Mikheil Kavelashvili of Georgia has underscored that safeguarding peace and ensuring free and fair elections is a shared responsibility of all citizens, while the presidency will maintain a neutral, observational role in the political process.

According to Caliber.Az, citing Georgian media, Kavelashvili made these remarks in a statement on July 24.

“All Georgian citizens, including the president, share a common duty: to preserve peace and stability in the country and to guarantee that citizens are fully able to exercise their constitutional right to vote freely,” the president said. “As the presidency, we will act solely as observers—we will not participate in the process in any other capacity.”

He also accused political actors of exploiting the presidency to incite unrest. “They have used the institution of the president to provoke confrontation. The local elections are being used for the same purpose—to alter the political course and promote revolutionary scenarios,” Kavelashvili warned.

Calling on the opposition to demonstrate its legitimacy to the Georgian people rather than foreign powers, the president remarked, “The opposition should show our citizens — not other countries — that they are a genuine political force.”

While acknowledging the achievements of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Kavelashvili suggested that more could have been accomplished. “They have achieved certain results, but more could have been done, given the opportunities at their disposal,” he noted.

In contrast, he criticised the opposition for lacking real initiative and relying heavily on external support. “The opposition has failed to prove its effectiveness because it depends on outside forces,” he said.

“Georgian citizens must assess current events objectively,” Kavelashvili concluded. “Everything is clear. The rest are artificial issues that will eventually run their course. We will not allow anyone to destabilise the country.”