Georgian ruling MP slams oppositionist Khabeishvili's power transfer calls “No peaceful overthrow possible”

David Matikashvili, a lawmaker from Georgia’s ruling party Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia, has criticised opposition leader Levan Khabeishvili for publicly calling for the overthrow of the government, saying that there is no such thing as a peaceful transfer of power through force.

Actions of one of the leaders of the opposition party "United National Movement" Levan Khabeishvili, fall under the norms of Criminal Code, since he publicly called for the government overthrow, Matikashvili said, as reported by Caliber.Az, citing Georgian media.

"There is no peaceful overthrow, and Khabeishvili himself knows this very well,” the ruling party member continued.

For the record, Khabeshvili's arrest was prompted by his public calls on social media and television channels for revolution and the overthrow of the government, as well as his offer of $200,000 to security forces in exchange for classified information and refusal to obey orders from their superiors.

Georgia’s political climate has been tense since the contested October 2024 parliamentary elections, where the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party won a supermajority amid claims of voter fraud and intimidation. The opposition, including the United National Movement (UNM), rejected the results, boycotting parliament and staging protests to demand new elections and resist GD’s perceived pro-Russian shift, drawing criticism from EU and OSCE observers for undemocratic practices.

The arrest of UNM leader Levan Khabeishvili on September 11, 2025, for offering bribes to security forces and calling for a “peaceful revolution” has escalated tensions. GD’s crackdown, including detentions and NGO asset freezes, is seen as an attempt to stifle dissent and pro-EU voices, raising concerns about authoritarianism in Georgia.

By Khagan Isayev