Zourabichvili: Russian Propaganda Has Gained Influence in Georgia
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, stated during a hearing at the UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee that Russian propaganda has gained significant influence in Georgia, with the Kremlin regularly praising the country's leadership in recent years.
When asked how the ruling Georgian Dream party has changed over the past 13 years, Zourabichvili noted that its stance was initially pro-European but began to shift around 2021.
"In 2012, when they came to power, they followed their program, which was to continue Georgia's Euro-Atlantic course. In 2018, they even adopted an article requiring all institutions in Georgia to support European integration. This was the article I referenced during my impeachment process," she said.
However, she argued that over time, the party started consolidating power and restricting the media and judiciary. According to Zourabichvili, the shift intensified with the war in Ukraine, as the government's rhetoric turned anti-European and anti-Western.
"Around 2021, changes became more apparent. The government began concentrating power, restricting the media, and interfering with the judiciary. This process accelerated after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with statements that Georgia would not join sanctions and claims that Western partners were trying to open a 'second front' in the country," she said.
When asked why this shift happened, Zourabichvili suggested that Georgian Dream's pro-European stance may not have been genuine.
"Perhaps their commitment to European integration was only superficial, easy to maintain when no major challenges existed. But when pressure mounted, Russia likely exerted influence over individuals it has leverage on-and Bidzina Ivanishvili is one of them," she stated.
Zourabichvili concluded that Russian propaganda has played a growing role in shaping Georgia's policies, both domestically and internationally.
