Ongoing Political Crisis and Protest in Georgia
By Malkhaz Matsaberidze
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
The political crisis in Georgia continues along with the uninterrupted protest on Rustaveli Avenue, while the fifth President Salome Zurabishvili along with a few opposition leaders and civil society representatives coordinate efforts to draw international attention. Last month, a letter was sent to European leaders urging them to respond to the deteriorating situation in Georgia and to initiate high-level discussions about holding fair parliamentary elections.
As the opposition ramps up its efforts, Georgian Dream is working just as aggressively to suppress them. Protesters are being hit with steep fines of 5,000 GEL - many multiple times - as part of what critics describe as a financial crackdown on dissent. The government is fast-tracking laws and making decisions that the opposition says signal a slide toward authoritarianism.
Two major developments have fueled the outrage: Former president Mikheil Saakashvili, currently imprisoned and held at Vivamedi clinic due to health issues, was recently handed two additional convictions. One case involves alleged embezzlement of public funds (around 9 million GEL), and the other concerns illegal border crossing. He's been sentenced to 12 years and 6 months. Due to sentence aggregation rules, he now faces prolonged imprisonment-an outcome all but guaranteed under Georgian Dream's rule.
The Prosecutor's Office froze the assets of five foundations that had been supporting detained activists - offering legal aid, financial assistance to families, and pledging to cover protest-related fines. The government claims these organizations were backing anti-government demonstrations and says they spent over 2 million GEL since the protests began in late November. According to the prosecution, the funds were used to encourage illegal actions and support individuals accused of criminal behavior.
The opposition has slammed both moves. Nika Gvaramia, a leader from the Coalition for Change, called them "two steps toward dictatorship taken in a single day." Former Public Defender Nino Lomjaria likened the government's tactics to Stalin-era repression.
While opposition figures have turned to Europe and the U.S. for support, Georgian Dream has adopted an openly dismissive tone toward Western leaders and diplomats, often responding with hostile and offensive language. Though the party still praises former U.S. President Donald Trump and his allies, likely hoping for future political backing, its stance toward the broader Western political establishment remains combative.
Meanwhile the United National Movement has publicly criticized both President Zurabishvili and the Gakharia Party. The issue at the center is once again Saakashvili. Zurabishvili has been reproached for not pardoning him - a symbolic gesture that, while unlikely to secure his release, would have held political weight.
The Gakharia Party has drawn fire for refusing to vacate its parliamentary seats and for statements claiming Saakashvili is guilty and not a political prisoner. This prompted accusations that the party is acting as a "satellite" of billionaire and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, widely believed to control Georgian Dream behind the scenes. In response, Gakharia Party members have pushed back with sharp criticism of both the United National Movement and former members now aligned with the Akhali party, led by Melia and Gvaramia.
Despite these internal tensions, the opposition remains united in its core demands: the release of arrested protesters and the scheduling of snap parliamentary elections. Georgian Dream, on the other hand, is attempting to shift focus to the upcoming local elections, expected this autumn, and urging opposition parties to participate. So far, the response has been firm: no discussions about local elections until the demand for new parliamentary elections is addressed.