Positive Reception for Public Unveiling of "Georgian Dream"

Businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili’s public movement the Georgian Dream officially started its activities on Monday. Talking of Ivanishvili as the savior of the Georgians, writer Chabua Amirejibi spoke of the new movement as the precondition for the nation's victory. The 90-year-old Amirejibi worried that he was unable to attend the presentation due to his age and health, but expressed his confidence that this movement would show the world the power of the Georgian people under the leadership of Ivanishvili.

Talking of the necessity for creating alternative political power in the country, Nino Kadagidze-Zhvania late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania’s wife became a member of the Georgian Dream emphasizing her trust towards the businessman. “This person has done everything for Georgia; I trust him as a person,” she said emphasizing Ivanishvili’s respect towards the late PM in building democratic society. Explaining that they share the same views, Kadagidze-Zhvania said she would do everything to encourage the businessman. Nona Gaprindashvili Chairwoman of Representative Public Assembly also promised to support the Georgian Dream in changing the current government.

Ivanishvili’s political partners from Our Georgia – Free Democrats and the Republican Party expressed their total support towards the Georgian Dream. Wishing success to Ivanishvili, the leader of the Free Democrats, Irakli Alasania, said his party would share the responsibility for making Georgia a better country with the Georgian Dream. Expressing his confidence that the media would become transparent and the court independent, Alasania said the presentation of Ivanishvili’s movement would become a new stage for Georgian political and public life. The leader of the Republican Party Davit Usupashvili said the Georgian Dream would start restoring fairness and dignity in the country which according to Usupashvili has been neglected by the government.

Giorgi Margvelashvili, Head of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), was among those who could not enter the State Concert Hall on Sunday, but watched the presentation on a special screen with other people. Talking of the Georgian Dream as a process of people, Margvelashvili said the new public movement has supporters from every field. “Finally we can see people who can calmly talk about important political issues in our country,” Margvelashvili said, talking of the Georgian Dream as an “alternative governmental power.” “The Georgian Dream is not only an oppositional movement; it’s obvious that it tries to put the government in a marginal position,” Margvelashvili said stressing that the citizens should either support the authoritarian regime controlling the media, business and the country, or follow the Georgian Dream through the elections.

The Georgian Football Federation (GFF) released a statement concerning Kakha Kaladze’s decision to give up the captaincy of the national team. “The recent situation in Georgia was unfortunately followed by political statements from members of our football family, but the GFF fully merges with the non-football sphere,” stated GFF’s Press Service. Talking of the importance of membership of the national football team for the country, GFF condemned Kaladze for making a public statement about his withdrawal explaining that the football player should have first informed the head coach. GFF also asked each acting and veteran footballer to talk for themselves, and avoid making statements on behalf of the entire team. Kaladze announced his decision in public at the presentation of the Georgian Dream. Talking about how difficult it was for him to make a decision on leaving his position, he encouraged everyone to wake up from their deep sleep.

Goka Gabashvili MP from the ruling United National Movement (UNM) said he could only see the “aspirations of faded faces filled with past nostalgia” among the people gathered at the presentation of the Georgian Dream. Stressing he couldn’t see anything new on Sunday, Gabashvili doubted the success of the new movement. Giorgi Targamadze leader of the Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM) expressed his respect towards the audience of the presentation, but emphasized that general talk about patriotism and unity will not bring political success.