Government's impotence showcased through latest wave of oppression, as claimed by Zurabishvili.
In a lively press conference, Salome Zurabishvili, Georgia's fifth president, slammed the government's latest move to censor media content as a blatant attempt to suppress society. Zurabishvili argued that this new wave of censorship is reminiscent of George Orwell's bleak portrayal of censorship, revealing a weakened government desperate to wield more power over the public.
Though the government has filed complaints against opposition-leaning broadcasters Formula TV and TV Pirveli, the president asserted that the resistance is strong and this repression cannot be squashed. The Resistance Platform's primary demands remain unwavering:
- Parliamentary elections, preferably in October, with local elections as a backup option if the former is not possible.
- The immediate release of political prisoners.
Zurabishvili emphasized that these elections must not be held under the Georgian Dream Party's rules or the control of the State Security Service (SSG). She suggested that the current instability within multiple state institutions, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, could pave the way for elections.
The president continued, stating that the government's persistence in monitoring and censoring media content reveals their desperation to further limit society. However, she warned that division, confusion, or disappointment sown among the public are the only real tools the government has left to stay in power.
In a rallying cry, Zurabishvili urged unity and persistence among the opposition, encouraging Georgians to resist this effort to sow confusion and agitate division. In her eyes, victory is near, and unity will be the key to overcoming the current political crisis.
The Georgian Dream Party's recent attempts to stifle free media have sparked a heated response from the public and international bodies. The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, for instance, has advocated for targeted sanctions and new elections to ensure a fair and pluralistic democratic process in Georgia.
REFERENCES1. https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/mep-calls-for-sanctions-against-georgian-leaders-over- vote-fraud-claims/2. https://www.ler.ge/en/news/2022/09/10/parliamentary-election-must-be-early-and-without-ven-and-extraparliamentary-exception3. https://www.civil.ge/archives/3553014. https://www.euronews.com/2022/07/27/georgian-opposition-leaders-reject-erdogan-s-visit-and-fulfil-decisive-mandate5. https://euractiv.com/section/media-players/news/georgia-expands-media-crackdown-in-advance-of-elections/
- Despite the government's efforts to control media content, Salome Zurabishvili emphasized the importance of free and unbiased news, comparing the current situation to aspects of 'war-and-conflicts' and 'politics' as depicted by George Orwell.
- In response to the government's monitoring and censorship of media, the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has accused the Georgian Dream Party of stifling free media, calling for 'crime-and-justice' measures such as targeted sanctions and new elections to uphold a fair democratic process.
