Gia Japaridze: Banning Parties Is Part of Plan to Desovereignize Georgia

Diplomat Gia Japaridze, speaking on the "Free Studio" program on Palitranius, assesses the process scheduled at the Constitutional Court, where the lawsuit to ban political parties is to be considered. In his words, he cannot describe in words the perspective facing the country, which he says is the last, or the penultimate, link in burying the future of the country and its people.

According to Japaridze, the planned process of banning parties and the demand voiced by Russia on determining the "border" with occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region are interconnected. In his view, it is precisely Russia that wants political parties in Georgia to be banned.

The diplomat believes the lawsuit is only the beginning, and behind it stands a plan to desovereignize Georgia and turn it into a one-party dictatorship. In his assessment, this will deprive the country of its European future and lead it to economic catastrophe. Japaridze says that the initiatives of the "Georgian Dream" threaten political pluralism and accelerate the process of recognizing occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region, based on Russia's interests.

According to him, society faces the threat of expected isolation, the abolition of visa-free travel, and the establishment of a North Korean-type regime.

"People are so lulled to sleep that I think they do not realize what we are actually dealing with. This decision will kill Georgia's future for a very long time. Even if "Georgian Dream" is not in government from the new year, we will need several years to return to being part of the civilized world," Japaridze said.

According to him, the lawsuit uses the conclusion of the Tsulukiani commission, which he considers absurd. Japaridze says that after the banning of parties, accelerated procedures for recognizing Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region will begin.

Speaking about the European Union, Japaridze noted that to join, the country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, including political criteria: democracy, a government elected by the people, regular elections, and free competition between political groups. In his words, if a one-party dictatorship is established, Georgia will become so distanced from Europe that it will lose free trade, the Association Agreement, and visa-free travel.

On the Western reaction, Japaridze said that partners did not fully realize the real threat, while some EU member states, hiding behind Hungary's position, were blocking personal sanctions. In his words, Viktor Orban's government no longer exists, but it turned out that other states also oppose personal sanctions. He considered the position of the Luxembourg foreign minister shameful.

According to Japaridze, if the EU uses financial sanctions, for example against the National Bank, Georgia may suffer an economic collapse similar to the 1990s. He added that recent processes will force some EU countries to recognize reality.

Japaridze recalled the words of Ilia Chavchavadze: "Wake up, they are Russifying us, we are losing everything". In his words, we may now be in the final phase, but the chance still exists.