‘Alliance of Patriots’ demand NDI and IRI to be banned in Georgia at rally in front of US Embassy
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, January 27
Pro-Russian, anti-western and nationalist radical party Alliance of Patriots held a rally in front of the US Embassy and demanded NDI and IRI be banned in Georgia, after the release of research done by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI). ‘Alliance of Patriots’ urges law enforcement to investigate the activities of these organizations and calls for them to cease their activities in Georgia, as they believe these researches were falsified to intentionally demonstrate high ratings of the United National Movement and European Georgia. At the rally, they used slogans such as ‘Thorntons and Kramers damage Georgia’s interests.’
"We are saying no to NDI, IRI, no to lies, no to Laura Thorntons, to the Kramers, to the Bryzas, who think Georgia is their colony ... We are saying out loud in front of the US Embassy today - these organizations should be banned from doing business in Georgia. They must leave Georgia.”
The Alliance of Patriots leader Irma Inashvili demanded the government to launch an investigation against NDI’s resident director in Georgia Laura Thorton.
“We are appealing to US authorities and that is why we are gathered here in front of their embassy, to send a message from Georgian people that we are tired and we are all disrespected. They should launch an investigation against Laura Thorton.”
NDI’s research was released on January 16, according to which ‘Alliance of Patriots’ and ‘Georgian Dream’ have low ratings. The research received an immediate response from both parties, stating that research is inaccurate. Inashvili stated that NDI intentionally decreases her party’s rating.
Founder of Georgian Dream Bidzina Ivanishvili has referred to people working on NDI and IRI field research as United National Movement partners. He expressed his negative attitude towards the aforementioned organizations, stating that he has plans to show and reassure Washington of what the situation is like in Georgia, and if they fail to see, he promised to write an open letter to Congress, Senate or President Trump’s administration.
