The Georgian authorities used footage of the bombed-out Mariupol for a political campaign
Georgia’s ruling party “Georgian Dream” used photos of destroyed Ukrainian cities affected by Russian shelling in its election campaign. Thus, the party tried to demonstrate that a similar fate could await Georgia if the opposition came to power. About this informs “Echo of the Caucasus”.
In a series of posters and videos, shots of destroyed Ukrainian cities, including Mariupol, alternate with images of peaceful Georgian cities with new buses and fountains. The slogan “No war!” is placed next to the photos of the destruction. and crossed out numbers of opposition parties. Contrasting images of Georgian cities, such as Batumi at night, read “Choose Peace.”
“Georgian Dream” claims that these posters should remind citizens of the potential risks that the opposition can lead to. However, the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, sharply condemned such a campaign, calling it “shameful and offensive to the culture, traditions, history and faith” of the Georgian people.
“How pathetic do you have to be to unscrupulously offer your people a poster made in the forge of the KGB”, she wrote. commenting on the use of such materials in election campaigning.
This incident occurred against the background of earlier statements made by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, who said that after the Euromaidan, Ukraine allegedly lost its independence, found itself in an economic crisis, and 20% of its territory is under occupation. He also noted that such a scenario does not threaten Georgia, as “no one will wait for the Maidan.”
The use of images of tragic events in Ukraine in political agitation caused a wave of indignation both in Georgia itself and beyond.
