Prepared by Messenger Staff
Veterans in Exile Call on Georgian Law Enforcement to Abandon Government Loyalty
Veterans of Georgia's law enforcement agencies living in exile have issued a public appeal urging current officers to distance themselves from what they describe as a "Russian system" and to honor their oath to serve the country.
The message was delivered in a video released on social media by Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, former head of the Operational Planning Division of the Special Tasks Department. In the video, veterans stood against a backdrop of Georgian national heroes and the state flag.
"We, the veterans of various Georgian law enforcement agencies in exile, stand with one goal: to make our contribution to saving Georgia," Shaishmelashvili said. "Today is a time of statehood, when we must save Georgia with our unity, fighting spirit, and strength, so that it does not become a victim of Russian slavery, injustice, and complete hopelessness."
The appeal targeted rank-and-file and mid-level officers rather than their superiors, whom the veterans accused of siding "with the dark." According to the statement, the current government relies on law enforcement as its "only support" and is responsible for electoral fraud and systemic abuses.
"You are being made accomplices of these systemic crimes by your actions or inaction," the appeal said. "History will not need much time to evaluate these events. Give your children and grandchildren a reason to be proud of you."
The veterans called for structural reforms of law enforcement, including measures to ensure peace, justice, and security, as well as clearer legal protections for employees. They framed their appeal as part of a broader struggle against what they called a "second Sovietization" of Georgia.
"Get rid of that evil system and leave the Russian name to them, and you will come and take with you your share of dignity, which you have proudly carried for so many years. Just fulfill your oath - serve Georgia," the statement concluded.
Shaishmelashvili ended the video with a quotation from Giorgi Kvnikadze: "If you love your homeland, you will find your deeds. Glory to the heroes!"
Menabde: Sustained Protest Needed Beyond October 4 Rally
Vakhushti Menabde, a member of the Social Democracy movement, has urged Georgians to prepare for long-term protests, warning that the October 4 demonstration cannot be seen as a final deadline for political change.
Speaking on PalitraNews' 360 Degrees, Menabde said the public has shown "unprecedented will and resistance" by protesting for 300 days, but cautioned that simply bringing large numbers into the streets is no longer enough to force the ruling Georgian Dream party from power. According to him, past demonstrations proved that even 100,000 people on the streets will not compel the government to back down.
Menabde stressed the importance of continuing protests after October 4. "If Georgian Dream does not heed the public's demands on October 7, then we must continue on the 8th, the 9th, and so on," he said. He argued that only a sustained and expanding movement, involving more segments of society, can succeed in challenging the current regime.
He also warned that the greatest threat to the opposition is public disillusionment. False promises of quick victories or reliance on individual leaders, Menabde said, risk undermining the horizontal nature of the protest movement. "The biggest danger for the protest is frustration. Our actions should not be based on hopes that can collapse," Menabde stated.
