Ex-President Zourabichvili rebukes Kavelashvili: "step out of KGB-style scenarios and respect Georgian character"

Georgia’s fifth President Salome Zourabichvili has issued a response to President Mikheil Kavelashvili’s offer to pardon imprisoned opposition leaders if they agree to participate in the upcoming local elections, comparing the logic behind his proposal to that of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a strongly posted on social media on Friday night, Zourabichvili criticized what she described as the “KGB-style” political tactics employed by the ruling regime.

“One says, ‘recognize me or else…’ and then adds: ‘Recognize me—and surrender everything you have—your dignity, your reputation, your conscience—and I’ll grant you freedom… into slavery!’” Zourabichvili wrote.

She went on to compare the offer to Putin’s approach toward Ukraine: “This is the same logic Putin used with Zelenskyy: "surrender, and I’ll take Crimea forever, along with Donetsk and Luhansk. And just so you know, my primary military goal remains: your destruction.”

The former president urged the current leadership to abandon such tactics and think independently.

“It wouldn’t hurt to step out of these Russian KGB-style scenarios, start thinking for yourselves, and consider the Georgian character. You might actually achieve better results,” she said, adding: “But that requires the ability to think and reason freely.”

Zourabishvili’s statement comes in the wake of President Kavelashvili’s controversial call for jailed opposition leaders to formally request pardons and pledge to participate in the October 4 local elections—an offer the opposition has widely condemned as 'political blackmail' and a bid for false legitimacy.