Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party, announced today at the Georgian Dream Congress that he is reentering politics and will take on the role of Honorary Chair of the Georgian Dream Party.

In his address, Ivanishvili acknowledged that engaging in political activities "is not inherent to his character." He referenced his previous commitment in 2012 to withdraw from politics after the 2012 elections, which he fulfilled in 2013 by stepping down as Prime Minister, a move he described as an "unprecedented decision in world politics." He emphasized that his initial entry into politics was not driven by a desire for leadership, but rather by a belief in serving the country and its people. Upon leaving politics, he felt he had "accomplished the mission" and was confident that those with criminal intentions would not regain power. However, he acknowledged that the "criminal political system has deeper roots than previously thought," prompting his return to politics in 2018. He recounted the advice of the then-EU ambassador, who stated that "without your return, nothing would have remained of the ruling party."

Ivanishvili asserted that he successfully completed his "mission" and stabilized the ruling team before stepping away from politics once more. Ivanishvili reflected on former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia's perceived "act of betrayal" and expressed that he felt compelled to intervene and provide guidance to the "team" to avert potentially severe consequences for the country.

Subsequently, he mentioned that he has maintained communication with 2-3 Georgian Dream leaders, which has contributed to fostering "healthy processes within the [ruling] team." He argued that this practice is commonplace in many democratic countries, where former leaders offer "advice" to the ruling team.

Ivanishvili then underscored the numerous challenges facing Georgia, emphasizing the challenging geopolitical environment. He stressed that even minor errors by the ruling authorities could have significant repercussions. He asserted that Georgia's national objectives can only be realized through "fully safeguarding national identity, restoring the country's complete sovereignty, achieving territorial integrity, and attaining foreign policy objectives – with EU integration being the most crucial."

Furthermore, he lamented the state of the opposition, asserting that the political faction responsible for holding the ruling party accountable has been "completely decimated." Ivanishvili criticized the opposition for being burdened by a criminal past and failing to effectively oversee the government, stating that it lacks even minimal resources to exercise such control. He characterized the opposition's output as a "torrent of lies," suggesting that instead of effectively scrutinizing the government, it has resorted to producing commonplace falsehoods.

In light of these circumstances, Ivanishvili highlighted the "risks" faced by the ruling party, including the potential for the party to become complacent or to fabricate internal confrontations when there is no effective opposition to challenge it from outside. He also cited an increased risk of corruption in the absence of the opposition's oversight, which he emphasized needs to be addressed.

Ivanishvili stated that these factors compelled him to make the "unpleasant decision" to return to politics and assume the position of honorary chair. He stressed that his return was not motivated by electoral considerations, asserting that if elections were held today, the Georgian Dream would secure 90-100 mandates out of 150 even without campaigning.

According to Ivanishvili, the true reason for his return is to protect the excessively strong ruling party from human temptations. He believes that the ruling party needs a new center of gravity, and he views his return as timely and necessary to fulfill this role.

Ivanishvili emphasized that in his new role, he would serve as the "chief advisor" to the party, clarifying that he does not intend to "replace the functions of the party's current chairman, Irakli Kobakhidze," whom he praised for his "excellent" leadership. Ivanishvili expressed his belief that the party requires his "political and life experience" to guide the country to ultimate success.

He outlined the key objectives he intends to pursue, which include safeguarding the national identity, reinstating state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and steering Georgia towards becoming a high-income nation by 2030, ultimately leading it into the European Union.