On September 28, a Georgian-language Facebook account published a short video (a so-called “reel”) featuring clips of opposition politicians, including Tina Bokuchava, Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Japaridze, Tamar Chergoleishvili, Ana Buchukuri, and others, where they only say one word: “war.” The video continues with clips of government officials, such as Irakli Kobakhidze, Irakli Garibashvili, Mamuka Mdinaradze, Tea Tsulukiani, Shalva Papuashvili, and the Patriarch Ilia II, where they say the word “peace.” The video has a caption that reads, “Do you want war or peace?” and it also appears to have been published by a TikTok account.
This video montage, centered on the themes of war and peace, is being disseminated manipulatively. The politicians shown in the video are not speaking positively about war, nor are they calling for starting or joining one.
The video collage presents incomplete quotes from Georgian politicians. In the first part of the video, opposition members are heard saying the word “war” at various times, followed by government representatives saying “peace.” The reel is edited in such a way that it seems as though the critics of the government are offering war, while “Georgian Dream,” along with the Patriarch, is offering peace. In reality, when watching the full recordings of the clips shown in the video, it becomes clear that none of the politicians are speaking positively about war or calling for it.
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Tina Bokuchava
The video circulating on social media begins with a clip of Tina Bokuchava, the chairwoman of the United National Movement party. In the video, the politician only says one word: “war.” Bokuchava’s fragment is from a debate between her and Zakaria Kutsnashvili on TV Pirveli in 2018 (0:40). During the broadcast, a representative of “Georgian Dream” repeatedly mentioned that the “United National Movement” is a war party. In this episode, Bokuchava tells her opponent that he should follow Bidzina Ivanishvili’s example and openly say that he accuses his country of starting the war.
Tina Bokuchava: “It’s a shame to even sit in a debate with someone like him, who accuses his own country of starting the war. That is shameful. You don’t have an answer as to why Putin invaded Ukraine, you don’t have an answer as to why he’s using chemical weapons in the UK, and you don’t have an answer as to why he’s using biological and chemical weapons in Syria.”
Tina Bokuchava and Zakaria Kutsnashvili’s debate in the program “Pirvelebi”
Tina Bokuchava did not mention the word “war” in a positive context, nor did she say anything about starting a new war with Russia. He mentioned the word many times during the debate with Zakaria Kutsnashvili and mainly to say that Georgia is not guilty of starting the 2008 war.
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Mikheil Saakashvili
The next segment of the video shows Mikheil Saakashvili, who, like Bokuchava, only says “war.” This clip is taken from an interview Saakashvili gave to Georgian Public Broadcaster 11 years ago. The interview was recorded on August 8, 2013. The journalist’s first question to Saakashvili was about the August 2008 war, and they asked if he had any traditions he followed specifically on August 8. The moment where Saakashvili mentions “war” (0:20) is cut from his response to this question.
Mikheil Saakashvili: “For me, this war is an essential part of my life. On one hand, it is a tragedy, and on the other, as time goes by, it becomes a source of pride because this war was, in reality, one of the defining moments in the formation of a modern, new state, of Georgian statehood.”
Right: Saakashvili’s interview with the Public Broadcaster
In this interview, Saakashvili discussed various topics, primarily the decision-making process during the August war, the readiness of both the adversary and the Georgian military, and NATO-Georgia relations. He also assessed the Bucharest Summit. Saakashvili said the summit’s results were successful, though he noted disagreement over the statement about Georgia and Ukraine.
Thus, while Saakashvili does mention “war” several times, it is in the context of the August war, and he does not speak positively about war.
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Zurab Japaridze
Another politician featured in the video collage is Zurab Japaridze, leader of the “Girchi – More Freedom” party. His clip is taken from an interview he gave to Giorgi Targamadze in April 2024. Toward the end of the interview, Japaridze mentions the word “war” (50:53). In this specific moment, Japaridze is not referring to military actions, let alone Georgia’s involvement in one. He uses the word metaphorically.
Zurab Japaridze: “What they [Georgian Dream] have done now has a political meaning, including a message towards the West, that they no longer intend to continue down this path. It’s clear to everyone that instead of fulfilling the 9 recommendations, they are doing something completely different, and they’ve declared open war on the West. You can’t go towards the European Union like this.”
Right: Zurab Japaridze in the program “Giorgi Targamadze’s Formula”
Zurab Japaridze appeared on the show “Giorgi Targamadze’s Formula” on April 3. At that time, the ruling party, “Georgian Dream,” was making a second attempt to pass the so-called agents law. The conversation between the journalist and the politician revolved around this law and the opposition and civil society’s reaction to it. Japaridze noted that instead of implementing the EU’s recommendations, the ruling party was trying to pass the “agents law” and had “declared war on the West.”
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Tamar Chergoleishvili
The reel includes a video of Tamar Chergoleishvili, leader of the “Federalists” party, in which she says the word “war.” The video was recorded during an anti-occupation rally in 2015, where Chergoleishvili delivered a speech discussing Russia’s policies and the Georgian government’s stance towards them (1:02). The rally was organized by several media outlets and NGOs.
Right: Tamar Chergoleishvili giving a speech at the Stop Russia rally
Tamar Chergoleishvili: “Those of us who dislike Russia’s policies are often criticized for allegedly wanting war, as if we are thirsty for blood. The government has found a clever solution, so they think, and responds to any criticism on this issue with a rhetorical question filled with false pathos: ‘So, what should we do? Start a war?’ As if war is the only alternative to what is happening now.”
Thus, Tamar Chergoleishvili does not speak positively about war during her anti-occupation speech and repeatedly emphasizes that those who oppose the government’s pro-Russia policies actually want peace. According to Chergoleishvili, when people are kidnapped from villages near the occupation line, and families must choose between their property and their homeland, there is no peace in the country.
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Ana Buchukuri
Another politician featured in the video is Ana Buchukuri, a member of “For Georgia” party. Like others, she is shown saying just the word “war.” In reality, her clip is from a May 2022 appearance on the TV show Roundtable on TV Formula. Buchukuri mentioned the word “war” several times, particularly when responding to messages from the ruling party on this topic.
Right: Ana Buchukuri on the show Roundtable
Ana Buchukuri: “From day one regarding the war in Ukraine, the propaganda of the Georgian Dream, the government’s deliberate, conscious choice, has been to establish the idea in the public that anyone who doesn’t like Georgian Dream’s policies, decisions, rhetoric, and message box is a war advocate. […] How can I want war in my own country? That would mean I’m an enemy of my own family. What does it even mean to want war? How can you allow that in your own country?”
Ana Buchukuri appeared on the show with other politicians. Her discussion of war was in the context of the ruling party’s narratives, and she did not advocate for war in the interview.
The disseminated reel includes clips of several opposition politicians. A similar video was previously shared by an anonymous Facebook account, Polit Ologi. Myth Detector investigated that case as well. Both videos are part of a pre-election propaganda campaign aimed at discrediting the politicians featured and spreading the government’s narrative that only Georgian Dream ensures peace, while opposition parties allegedly want to drag Georgia into a war.
About the source:
The original source of the Facebook video is the pro-Georgian Dream TikTok account Qudzekaci. The account publishes videos critical of the opposition and often shares excerpts from past interviews with politicians. Some videos include text: “October 26th! Everyone should vote! If you don’t want the same to happen again.” The profile’s description reads: “Supporters of Georgian Dream, come out on October 26th!!!”
The Facebook account Mamuka Chargazia frequently spreads false information and visual manipulations about government critics. Myth Detector has labelled several of its posts in the past.
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