Zourabichvili Says Georgia Faces Democratic Crisis in Speech at Oslo Freedom Forum
By Messenger Staff
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, warned that the country is experiencing one of the most difficult periods in its modern history, accusing the ruling authorities of undermining democratic institutions and steering the country toward authoritarianism.
Speaking at the Oslo Freedom Forum, Zourabichvili said Georgia had once been regarded as a democratic success story in the region, highlighting its progress in European integration, reforms, and state-building despite the challenges posed by Russia's 2008 invasion and the continued occupation of Georgian territories.
According to Zourabichvili, the situation has changed dramatically in recent years. She argued that democratic institutions and state structures have gradually been captured, leaving citizens increasingly marginalized from political decision-making.
"Yesterday, Georgia was a beacon of democracy," Zourabichvili said, noting that the country had served as a model for democratic transformation among its neighbors.
The fifth president of Georgia claimed that the country has now reached a critical moment in which it must choose between defending its democratic future and accepting authoritarian rule.
She also drew parallels between Georgia's current political struggle and broader security challenges facing Europe, describing Georgia as "the other side of the coin" to Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression.
According to Zourabichvili, while Ukraine is resisting through military means, Georgia is confronting what she described as attempts to take control of the state through hybrid methods. She argued that democratic institutions, elections, social media platforms, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, can be exploited to weaken democratic systems from within.
"The silent seizure of the state through hybrid warfare methods" is a challenge that extends beyond national borders, she said.
Zourabichvili's remarks come amid ongoing political tensions in Georgia and continued debate over the country's democratic trajectory, relations with the European Union, and concerns raised by opposition groups and civil society organizations regarding the state of democratic governance.
