“October 1 has become a symbol of unity, dignity, the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness for modern Georgia! Thirteen years have passed since the most significant victory in the history of independent Georgia,” states Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of “Georgian Dream,” in a statement released in response to the party’s victory in the elections on October 1, 2012.
As he notes, the main architect of October 1 is the Georgian people.
“Thirteen years have passed since the most significant victory in the history of independent Georgia. October 1 has become a symbol of unity, dignity, the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness for modern Georgia!
October 1, 2012, holds a distinguished place alongside the notable victories achieved throughout Georgia’s centuries-long history, as this day, in the 35-year history of our country’s recent independence, became a pivotal dividing line between, on one hand, authoritarianism, subservience to external interests, fear, and terror, and, on the other hand, democracy, loyalty to national sovereignty, and freedom! This day does not belong to specific individuals or any single political party; the main architect of October 1 is the Georgian people, who remain faithful to the teachings of our ancestors, our traditions, and Christian values, and who have never bowed their heads to internal or external enemies!
The Georgian people possess a unique trait, honed throughout our centuries-long history of struggle: in critical moments for the country, when the threat of destruction becomes truly real, we always choose the right side, we always manage to distinguish between black and white, and we stand where freedom, justice, mutual respect, love, dignity, and independence guide us.
October 1, 2012, was founded precisely on these ideals and became the inevitable conclusion of the struggle that I personally, ‘Georgian Dream,’ and, above all, the great Georgian people began in 2011 against internal enemies subservient to external forces.
Thirteen years is indeed a long time, yet the ideals of October 1, 2012, have not faded, and these values remain the cornerstone of our team’s actions. The best judge of this is, as always, the wise Georgian people, who today, just as in 2012, continue to grant us the mandate to represent them and cannot be swayed by lies, propaganda, or promises!
Since that historic victory, we have together strived to achieve greater prosperity, wealth, and economic stability, step by step moving toward true independence and solid sovereignty. However, the greatest obstacle on this path remains the forces that foster radicalism, confrontation, and artificial division, now operating under the guise of the opposition, fighting against their own people and country, attempting to drag us back into the past, into stagnation and subservience to foreign interests.
Despite their efforts, we have achieved tangible results. If we set aside propaganda and harsh rhetoric, it is clear even to the naked eye that since gaining independence, ‘Georgian Dream’ is the only governing force that has maintained continuous peace while ensuring that no sector has failed to see significant improvement compared to 2012. This is confirmed by numerous international rankings, research based on objective criteria, and, most importantly, the Georgian people themselves, who continue to trust us and grant us the mandate to govern the country!
The past 13 years are a logical continuation of our centuries-long existence. In 2012, we not only survived but also triumphed. However, if we do not safeguard the freedom we have gained, we risk losing everything we have built over these years! Georgia’s history is precisely this – a constant struggle, which at different times has manifested in self-sacrifice for survival, achieving independence, forming a respected state, and preserving the core elements of Georgian identity: homeland, language, and faith. Today, we continue to fight, but against a transformed enemy and new challenges. Today, our line of battle lies in preserving peace and stability, which is the only path toward development, a better future, and a united Georgia.
We must clearly understand that we are once again walking a tightrope and have no right to stumble. We must realize that the fight for sovereignty and independence requires constant vigilance.
Of course, there have been mistakes over the past 13 years, but fortunately, they have not been of a magnitude that would threaten our statehood or physical existence, nor have they been impossible to correct or overcome.
Personally, it is extremely painful for me that over these years, there has been treacherous betrayal within our team, which not only put ‘Georgian Dream’ in a crisis but also created a real threat of derailing the Georgian people and our country from their development trajectory, risking the return of forces subservient to foreign interests to power. In the past, several members of our team decided that aligning with influential foreign forces or prioritizing personal comfort at the expense of our citizens’ interests could bring them great benefits, making it worthwhile to set aside the interests of the team and the country. However, we have withstood this as well! Throughout this process, just as since 2011, the support of Georgian society, our wise people, has given me and us the strength to fight, reinforcing our belief that we could overcome any difficulty.
Indeed, it was precisely this constant vigilance, standing on the side of truth, and relentless care for strengthening sovereignty that led us to expose every traitor and force internal enemies to admit that their actions were driven not by national but by foreign interests. Specific foreign forces, hiding behind the mask of friends and partners, were compelled to openly admit that they demand subservience to their interests from us!
This is precisely why the pressure and blackmail against our country and people have intensified, taking various forms. Naturally, against the backdrop of external challenges and the destructive wars in our region, attacks on our sovereignty are becoming more frequent and increasingly aggressive. However, these specific forces are now forced to act not through internal enemies, as they did for years, but through external ones.
Against this backdrop, their local agents, scattered abundantly within opposition parties and the so-called non-governmental sector, may appear weakened at first glance. However, we must clearly understand which forces are trying to subjugate our country to their own interests.
For them, it poses no problem to replace one recognizable figure with another, one party with another, or even one television channel with another to deceive our citizens. They can bring new foreign politicians or so-called influential experts onto the stage to replace those already exposed in lies. However, they struggle to realize that they can no longer fool us. Today, our society listens carefully to ideas and opinions, making logical conclusions based on analysis. Most importantly, for the Georgian people, authority lies not in specific names, titles, or artificially created influential politicians, but in the truth!
Nevertheless, over the past 13 years, the greatest achievement of ‘Georgian Dream’ has been learning to accurately assess events and facts. Equally significant is that society has grown alongside us and now excels at making correct analyses, ensuring everything is called by its true name. Together with society, we have successfully neutralized the main weapon of the previous government, inherited from their foreign patrons: portraying white as black, construction as destruction, and good as evil. Together with society, we have successfully neutralized the imposed pseudo-liberal ideology that presented a criminal regime as a beacon of democracy while labeling a truly democratic government as a dictatorship. Today, we no longer err in qualitatively assessing who is a friend and who is an enemy. We have thoroughly analyzed that no foreign force is acting to help us; they are all driven by their own interests and desires.
Clearly, we are not rejecting partnership with anyone, but this must not come at the expense of weakening our country’s sovereignty or exploiting Georgia. We firmly stand on the position that partnership and friendship must be mutual.
In terms of defending our unity, the ideals of October 1, and the achievements and gains of the past years, another test awaits us on October 4. In the upcoming local self-government elections, unmasked internal and external enemies see yet another opportunity for chaos, a state coup, and the realization of their goals.
More and more people are becoming convinced of their true intentions, their support is declining daily, and Georgia’s state institutions are stronger today than ever before. This convinces them that their only remaining chance lies in even greater radicalism, direct attacks on their own state, and, consequently, on the people.
Against this backdrop, on October 4, we have the chance to show everyone once again that our fight today lies in going to the polling stations, making a free choice, and preserving peace and stability. Today, we have the opportunity to cement the peaceful victory won in 2012 once and for all, to consign radicalism and confrontation to the past, and then to fight for greater development and prosperity, for the final eradication of poverty, for strengthening sovereignty, and for the peaceful reunification of our country!
Glory to the united Georgian people! Glory to a united Georgia!” states Bidzina Ivanishvili in the statement released by “Georgian Dream.”
Bidzina Ivanishvili releases a statement on the 13th anniversary of “Georgian Dream” coming to power
