The Chairman of the Georgian Dream responds to the rally and recent developments near the Parliament in Tbilisi. According to Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgia will continue to move towards Europe with Christianity, sovereignty and dignity.

The leader of the ruling team says that the “radical opposition and its media convinced the majority of the population that the American law adopted by the Parliament was Russian”.

“I am sure events that took place in Tbilisi yesterday were unpleasant to see for the vast majority of our fellow citizens.
The radical opposition and its mass media convinced the majority of the population that the American law adopted by the Parliament was Russian, which caused genuine excitement of people yesterday
However, the radical opposition as always tried to use this honest excitement to achieve their political goals and objectives.
Unprecedented violence against law enforcement officers was recorded by the supporters of the radical opposition. If until 2012 law enforcements used force against protesters and the Public Defender, yesterday protesters on the instructions of the same National Movement used violence against law enforcement officers and the Public Defender. This fact once again reminds us that these people will never change their nature, no matter where they are - in power or in the opposition.

It is important that everyone who was grossly violating the law and using force yesterday was made accountable to the full extent of the law.
We express our sadness for every peaceful protester who suffered even minor injuries yesterday.
We thank each and every police and law enforcement officers for their patience yesterday and for acting in accordance with the highest human rights standards.
Once again we want to draw attention to two issues on which the campaign launched by the radicals in recent days was based: these are refering to non-governmental organizations as agents of foreign influence and the European future of Georgia.

First of all it should be noted once again that the draft law adopted by the Parliament in the first reading does not concern espionage activities. The draft law specifies only whose conscientious or dishonest goals and objectives are served by specific organizations - the Georgian people or foreign authorities.
As for the label of a spy (and not an agent of foreign influence). In this regard we would like to remind you that the National Movement which handed over 20 percent of the territories of Georgia to the Russian Federation and then signed the treacherous resolution, has been referring to "Georgian Dream" as a pro-Russian force since 2012. This label was attached to us when we signed an association agreement with the European Union, signed a free trade agreement with the European Union, introduced a visa-free regime with the countries of the European Union, and unprecedentedly expanded cooperation with NATO. We do not remember the unrest of non-governmental organizations and other structures, when the radical opposition tried to stigmatize our government.

Unfortunately, when the radicals labeled us we do not remember condemning the labeling and comparing the representatives of "Georgian Dream" with Sandro Akhmeteli and Titsian Tabidze. Instead, today specific forces compare Sandro Akhmeteli and Titsian Tabidze with Giga Makarashvili and Baia Pataraia, who by nature are complete antipodes of our worthy ancestors.
At the same time we would like to remind you that both Sandro Akhmeteli and Titian Tabidze were shot by spies, Ilya Chavchavadze was killed by spies, and spies led the Russian army to Georgia in 1921.
Georgia would have avoided a lot of pain if spies had been given their name at proper time. Today the Bolshevik spirit lives in contemporary Sergo Orjonikidze and Gigla Berbichashvili - Mikheil Saakashvili, Giga Bokeria, Giorgi Vashadze, Zurab Japaridze, Levan Khabeishvili and in other leaders of the radical opposition.

If the plan outlined by them at the famous Bakuriani meeting had been implemented there would have been a coup in June of last year, and we declare with full responsibility - today Russian tanks would be stationed in Tbilisi. They would lead Russian tanks into Georgia in exactly the same way as it was done in August 2008.
A revolution of spies took place in Georgia in 2003, which brought 9 anti-European years to Georgia - torture of people, business racketeering, hijacking of media and loss of 20 percent of Georgian territories. That time the spies were able to manipulate the sincere emotions of the public and had them make a fundamental mistake.

Today Georgian society is mature enough to prevent a new revolution by the same spies and return the country to the past. Georgia is a country and anyone who wants to break the law in the country will be made accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Eventually, excitement will die down and the public will be left with the transparency of NGO finances provided by the Foreign Influence Transparency Act. The public will know exactly who financed the meeting of Bakuriani, who finances “Sirtshkvilia”, “Droa” and other extremist organizations, whose funding produces Bolshevik propaganda against the Orthodox Church, whose funding hinders the energy development of the country, etc.
We think that the society should have full information about all this and draw conclusions accordingly.

All this has nothing to do with Europe and European values. If we do not protect the country from the plans of spies, we will not only be able to become members of the European Union, but we will also lose our sovereignty. We must all understand that we will never enter the European Union by walking on one foot.
As for the respect of the authorities of European institutions, we would like to remind you that, as promised, we have already sent the draft law to the Venice Commission for conclusion, which means that its reviewing will continue only in a few months after receiving the conclusion of the Venice Commission. This shows how unreasonable the fears associated with the adoption of the draft law in the first reading.
More than 80 percent of the population of Georgia support the European future of Georgia and more than 90 percent trust the Orthodox Church. Hence it is clear that church blasphemers will never accept Georgia into the European Union.
We will go forward with Christianity to Europe!
We will go forward with sovereignty to Europe!
We will go forward with dignity to Europe!”, - said Irakli Kobakhidze.