Honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream Bidzina Ivanishvili addressed the local public during a speech at the regional event of the election campaign in Akhaltsikhe.

“Greetings, my fellow countrymen, I greet Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni, Aspindza, Akhalkalaki, and Ninotsminda! I greet our fellow citizens living in Samtskhe-Javakheti, this remarkable region of Georgia with its unique history. I greet Georgians, ethnic Armenians, and representatives of other ethnic groups – people who have built a unique tradition of tolerance, patriotism, mutual respect, solidarity, hard work, and cohabitation over the centuries, and have shown everyone that despite our differences, the children of this country always stand together, in both good times and bad!

One can talk about the beauty and significance of this region for a long time, especially since it is rare to find such an environment anywhere in the world, where nature and man blend harmoniously together. Each corner of this remarkable region stands out with its uniqueness, and together, they are the wealth of our country, our Georgia. But you, the people who fill these cities and villages with life, are the most valuable of all.

You have demonstrated your high political responsibility to your country on numerous occasions over the years, and you proved it again in 2012, during a very difficult time not just for Samtskhe-Javakheti but for all of Georgia, when you dared to stand with us, the Georgian Dream, in opposing the National Movement regime, which was still firmly in power and waging total terror against its own people. In a country famous for its tolerance, the National Movement dared to incite conflict among the population on ethnic or religious grounds. They did nothing to ensure that the local population had the opportunity to fully learn the Georgian language to facilitate interaction with the state on the one hand, while protecting their native language on the other.

All of this served a single purpose – to prevent a large part of the residents of Samtskhe-Javakheti from fully integrating into society and participating in the political life of the country. Despite all this, you showed great courage and, risking the lives and safety of your family members, you trusted us and supported the Georgian Dream! Today, you are reaping the results of your courage. Since coming to power, step by step, we have addressed the concerns of Samtskhe-Javakheti and the entire country.

Together with our people, the Georgian Dream has laid the foundation for building a country based on democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human dignity. Since the Georgian Dream came to power, Samtskhe-Javakheti has been revitalized. Infrastructure has been improved and developed, which has contributed to the growth of the region’s investment and tourism potential. Agriculture is developing, and you are free to sell your products in markets that were previously closed.

Moreover, we are making every effort to support you through a number of benefits and state programs tailored to your interests. The unique nature of Abastumani and Borjomi is not only no longer being destroyed, but is now under special protection, which is one of the main guarantees of both environmental protection and the significant investments being made in the region. Most importantly, your health and well-being are now a special concern of the state; honest work is appreciated, and the quality of well-being has increased in your families. Your children have easy access to education, and every resident of this multiethnic region, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, freely enjoys all the privileges available to any citizen of Georgia.

Namely: within the framework of the Renewed Regions program, over 130 million GEL has been spent on the rehabilitation of the region’s cities, infrastructure has been completely replaced, and every city has been improved and beautified. From 2014 to the present, the Georgian Dream has implemented projects worth 350 million GEL in the region where there used to be no drinking water.

From 2013 to the present, our government has provided 11,500 consumers with access to natural gas. The entire region will be fully connected to natural gas by 2025. From 2012 to 2024, a total of five hydroelectric power plants with a total installed capacity of 99 megawatts were built in the Samtskhe-Javakheti Region. Additionally, 18 hydroelectric power plant projects with a total installed capacity of 112 megawatts are either in the construction or research phase. Most importantly, all these projects have been implemented (or are being implemented) without causing even minimal damage to this unique ecosystem. Local entrepreneurs and small businesses enjoy special support from our government.

With our support, 300 million GEL has been spent in the region through various state programs, fully directed towards supporting entrepreneurs. As a result, 4,000 additional jobs have been created, and the process will undoubtedly continue. Special attention is being paid to the development of tourism. In 2023, the Samtskhe-Javakheti Region saw half a million visitors – a record figure, driven by improvements in existing tourist infrastructure and locations as well as the construction of new tourism sites. Today, Samtskhe-Javakheti fully meets the demands of modern tourism.

Together, we have managed to build a country where every human right is protected, where freedom of thought and expression is guaranteed, where the judiciary has been improved, where the media are independent, and where business is untouchable – a country where people live freely and no longer fear political persecution. I will go no further, but I will tell you that despite these achievements, the Georgian Dream team certainly has no intention of stopping. We will continue to do everything that is necessary so that every Georgian citizen can personally feel the development and prosperity of our country.

Naturally, all the benefits that we have achieved together since 2012 are good and deserve recognition, but the most important thing is that for the first time in our country’s recent history, today, we live in a Georgia where we have had 12 years of uninterrupted peace. This peace is the main foundation of development, and it is the result of the trust you have shown in the Georgian Dream over the years. There is not a lot to say about the importance of peace. As children of this country, we do not need to be taught that peace has been our greatest desire over the centuries, as we have known the nature of war and the misery that accompanies it only too well.

Nevertheless, there still are people, political forces, and various nongovernmental organizations in Georgia, the collective United National Movement [UNM], who see not disaster but opportunity in war – an opportunity to return to power with the support of foreign masters, even at the cost of war, that is, at the cost of their own people’s blood. Some of these people first ruined the country in 2008, when they deliberately provoked a war, and since then, they have done everything in their power to make Georgia a participant in the military conflict that began in Ukraine, turning it into a second front.

This is a direct order from their foreign masters, which perfectly aligns with the radical, narrow party interests of the collective UNM – to return to power at any cost.

We can all clearly perceive the threat, as the difficult geopolitical situation we face is laid bare before us. Today, peace, just like independence, needs special protection, so that on the one hand, no one will ever again be able to forcibly involve Georgia in a war, and on the other, we can preserve our independence and ensure that Georgia is governed by authorities chosen by the people, and not by the collective UNM under foreign control – a regime that had captured the state for years. In fact, today we are not engaged in an election campaign, but rather in a battle to defend peace, our country’s sovereignty, our traditions, and our values”, - said Bidzina Ivanishvili.