Publications

Illustration: Giorgi Gotsiridze

Simultaneously with the rise of the authoritarian aspirations of the current Georgian authorities—evident through various indicators—the country is increasingly distancing itself from Western civilization and drawing closer to Russia. The form and content of the ruling party’s public communication show a clear resemblance to the propaganda narratives of the Kremlin. This trend became particularly pronounced in 2022, after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian occupying forces. Similarities between Kremlin propaganda and the rhetoric of Georgia’s ruling party are evident in both the identical manipulation techniques—such as promoting a negative agenda, creating enemy images, addressing invented issues instead of real ones, and sowing fear and confusion with conspiracy theories—and in specific language, including terms like “global war party.” Additionally, parallels are apparent in specific legislative changes grounded in conspiracy theories, such as the laws introduced in Russia years ago on so-called “foreign agents”   and “banning LGBT propaganda,” which were also adopted in Georgia in 2024.

When discussing the resemblance between Russian propaganda narratives and the rhetoric of the current Georgian government, it is essential to reference the strategic documents of the Russian Federation. The Georgian Dream party utilizes themes from these documents to scare and disorient the Georgian public. This article, therefore, examines the strategic documents of the Russian Federation and the manipulative claims they contain, alongside the current realities in Georgia, especially since 2022.

Strategic Documents of the Russian Federation

As a result of Russia’s repeated violations of the international order, coupled with the deterioration of its relations with the United States and Europe, the Kremlin’s official communications toward the West have adopted an increasingly harsh and propagandistic tone. In line with its traditional approach of deflecting blame, the Russian Federation emphasizes in official documents that Western countries are waging a "new type of hybrid war" against it. From the Kremlin's perspective, Russia is positioned as a victim compelled to defend itself.  Simultaneously, it accuses Western nations of Russophobia and unfair treatment of the Russian people, with an asserted aim to challenge and alter this "reality."

The Russian Federation’s strategic documents have reflected a confrontational stance toward the West since 2014, following the invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, which prompted the United States and the European Union to impose sanctions.  The military doctrine, approved by President Putin in December 2014, identifies one of the primary threats to the country as activities "aimed at influencing the population through information, especially the youth, in order to undermine the historical, spiritual, and patriotic traditions related to the defense of the homeland."

The emphasis on "preserving the cultural, historical, spiritual, and moral values of the multi-ethnic people of the Russian Federation" is further reinforced in the information security doctrine  approved in 2016. This doctrine repeatedly asserts that "specific states" use informational and psychological tactics to influence various regions, undermine sovereignty, and violate the territorial integrity of other nations. Additionally, the document notes “a trend in foreign media to publish an increasing number of materials that offer biased views on Russian Federation’s state policy. The Russian media face blatant discrimination abroad and Russian journalists are often obstructed from carrying out their work. There is a growing informational pressure on the Russian population, particularly on the youth, aimed at eradicating traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”

In recent years, the trend of open confrontation with the West and the emergence of new conspiracy theories have become increasingly evident in official Kremlin documents. The Russian national security strategy adopted in 2021 states, "Amid the crisis of the Western liberal model, several states are deliberately working to destroy traditional values, distort world history, revise Russia's role and place in it, revive fascism, and incite ethnic and inter-religious conflicts. Information campaigns aim to create an image of Russia as an enemy. Restrictions are imposed on the use of the Russian language, Russian media outlets are banned, access to Russian information resources is curtailed, and sanctions are applied against Russian athletes..."

The strategy asserts that unfriendly countries exploit Russia's socio-economic challenges to undermine national unity, radicalize protests, incite "color revolutions," and create instability.

This strategy reflects Russia’s national interests and priorities concerning information security. A key objective outlined is to "develop a secure information space" and "protect Russian society from destructive informational and psychological influences."

A separate chapter in the document addresses the "Protection of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, culture, and historical memory." This section claims that "Russian traditional spiritual, moral, and cultural-historical values are actively targeted by the United States and its allies, as well as by transnational corporations, foreign non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, religious groups, extremists, and terrorist organizations."

Among the Kremlin's propaganda narratives and conspiracy theories, the Russian Federation’s 2023 foreign policy concept  is particularly notable. Following its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia, facing international isolation, has continued its pattern of deflecting blame for its actions onto others and distorting reality through absurd accusations.

The concept asserts that "interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states has become a cornerstone of a destructive neoliberal ideology, which is deployed against traditional spiritual and moral values." It claims that, to this end, tactics such as encouraging coups, instigating military conflicts, issuing threats and blackmail, and manipulating specific social groups and nations within the information space are employed. Additionally, the document states that Russia must counteract a hate campaign against it, combat the falsification of history, and resist the spread of neo-Nazi ideology. The Kremlin further labels the United States as the primary architect and enforcer of the collective West’s aggressive anti-Russian policy, identifying it as the main source of security threats to Russia, as well as to international peace and the balanced, fair, and progressive development of humanity. As in previous documents, this strategy also emphasizes the threat posed by so-called "color revolutions" in various countries and outlines measures to prevent them.

In summary, the propaganda narrative presented in the Kremlin's strategic documents depicts Russia as a victim under attack by Western countries. These documents level unsubstantiated accusations against "foreign powers" for allegedly interfering in Russia's internal affairs and sovereignty, "discriminating against the Russian people" in the West, attacking "Russian traditional spiritual and moral values," and attempting to "rehabilitate fascism." Furthermore, they emphasize the importance of "protecting Russian youth from neoliberal informational pressure."

Georgian Dream’s Rhetoric and Campaign Pledges 

On an increasingly authoritarian path, Georgia's current government has, since 2022, intensified its anti-Western rhetoric while downplaying the primary threat to its sovereignty—Russia. Instead of addressing the democratic reforms stipulated by the European Union, representatives of the ruling party, Georgian Dream, accuse the EU and the United States of treating Georgia unfairly. This stance mirrors the victim narrative found in Russian strategic documents. Such accusations became especially frequent in the summer of last year, when Georgia, unlike Ukraine and Moldova, was not granted EU candidate status. Georgian Dream representatives often claim "unfair" treatment from the West in response to Western criticism of the Georgian government’s undemocratic actions. This rhetoric grew particularly intense following the adoption of a Russian-style "foreign agents" law, after which the United States enacted the "MEGOBARI" act on Georgia. In response, Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili remarked, "Foreign countries believe they should influence decisions in the Georgian Parliament, but we do not share this view. The content is unfair and is not based on an accurate assessment of the situation. It is unfair to Georgia. I hope that, in the end, the right decisions will be made, and no mistakes will be made."  Deputy Speaker Giorgi Volski echoed this sentiment, claiming, "There is a degree of unfairness toward the Georgian government simply because Lomjaria and Gigauri chose not to disclose the funding they receive and the programs they support. As a result, training was halted."

When speaking about the "unfair" treatment of Georgia, the government’s rhetoric often invokes the narrative of "foreign powers' interference  in the country's sovereignty." This rhetoric is not new; it has been tested and refined over the years by the Russian Federation,  and is frequently reflected in its strategic documents. The "foreign agents" law adopted in Russia years ago is viewed as one of the country's countermeasures against such "interference in sovereignty." As noted, the similar law was adopted by Georgian Dream in the spring of this year.   Furthermore, ahead of the upcoming elections, one of the government's key pledges—repeatedly voiced by the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili—is to “forever end the forceful imposition of pseudo-liberal values from foreign countries."

The abovementioned absurd accusations of "foreign violent intervention" are often accompanied by the "Global War Party" conspiracy theory, which claims that certain Western groups are pressuring Georgia to go to war with Russia. Georgian Dream and its affiliated groups have consistently propagated this message for some time, although no one can clearly define what the "Global War Party" actually is. Alongside this, Georgian Dream frequently echoes the Russian narrative,  suggesting that a revolution and a violent change of government are being planned in Georgia.

Regarding another Russian message—the "protection of traditional spiritual and moral values"—the Georgian government has adopted a similar stance, repeating it intensively. With a classic populist approach, Georgian Dream seeks to convince the public that Georgian traditions and values are under threat. When discussing this perceived danger, they often point indirectly to Western countries as the source. Several statements from Georgian Dream leaders illustrate this narrative.

Bidzina Ivanishvili: "A network of agents here eagerly defends and promotes pseudo-liberal ideology, whose goal is to destroy all traditional values, strip people of their dignity and morality, and create a mass of low-ranking slaves with a singular mindset. However, once we secure a constitutional majority, we will undoubtedly fulfill the will of the majority of the Georgian population—we will prioritize family values and the interests of minors, protecting them at the constitutional level."

Irakli Kobakhidze: "The challenges are very serious. You can see how rapidly LGBT propaganda is spreading across the world. It was once claimed that this propaganda would have no impact on people's behavior and lifestyles, but statistics now show otherwise. In fact, following the spread of this propaganda, the number of LGBT individuals in these countries has exceeded 20 percent."

Mamuka Mdinaradze: "Over the centuries, all conquerors who came to this land tried to destroy the nation, yet here we are, speaking Georgian, with both the country and the Georgian people still existing. LGBT propaganda, however, could erase all of this in just 2-3 generations."

In September of this year, the parliamentary majority also passed the law "On Family Values and Protection of Minors," which can be seen as similar to the law adopted in Russia years ago, and raises clear concerns about censorship.

In addition to the points mentioned above, Georgian Dream, much like Kremlin propaganda, employs terms such as "liberal fascism." Prime Minister Kobakhidze has accused the opposition, critical media, and various civil activist organizations of spreading "liberal fascism." One of his pre-election promises was the "defeat of liberal fascism" in the October 26 parliamentary elections.

***

In conclusion, the rhetoric and policies of Georgia’s ruling party are increasingly resembling the propaganda narratives and strategies of the Kremlin, particularly evident since 2022, when Russia launched its large-scale military aggression in Ukraine. This similarity is manifested in the strengthening of anti-Western sentiments, the spread of conspiracy theories, and the adoption of comparable legislative restrictions, such as the "foreign agents" law and the ban on "LGBT propaganda."

It is important to note that the narrative found in the Russian Federation's strategic documents, which seeks to disorient the population, create an image of an external enemy, and manipulate information, is clearly reflected in the rhetoric of Georgian Dream. Much like the Kremlin’s strategic documents—though less direct—Georgian Dream also levels accusations against the West, portraying it as a threat to Georgia's sovereignty. Furthermore, there are repeated claims of attempts by Western institutions to interfere in the country's governance and attacks on its traditional values.

Additionally, Georgian Dream deliberately stokes fear and a sense of helplessness among the public, particularly through conspiratorial narratives surrounding foreign influence, "LGBT propaganda," "liberal fascism," and the "global war party." The aim, similar to Russia's approach, is to instill fear and mislead the public.

Overall, this rhetoric, along with the legislative changes enacted by the Georgian government—changes that are unfit for a democratic country - undermines Georgia’s European future and heightens the risks of international isolation.

See the attached file for the entire document with relevant sources, links and explanations.