The Four Pillars of GD Propaganda

Summary: Since coming to power in 2012, Oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream (GD) party have developed a sophisticated propaganda machine that threatens the very foundations of Georgian democracy and statehood. This analysis shows how GD has methodically dismantled democratic discourse through four key strategies: shutting down political debates, controlling mass media through a well-funded network of loyal outlets, flooding social media with fake accounts/disinformation; and promoting conspiracy theories to manipulate public opinion.

"The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all." – J. F. Kennedy

Since assuming power, GD and its affiliated media outlets have waged an increasingly aggressive propaganda campaign against the political opposition to create a bogeyman. Initially, their primary targets were the former ruling party, the United National Movement (UNM), and opposition-minded individuals. Over the past several years, public trust in GD has declined drastically, prompting the party to intensify its efforts to manipulate Georgians to maintain power. Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of GD and the informal ruler of Georgia, has systematically targeted critical voices, including civil society organizations, opposition parties, and independent media. Simultaneously, GD affiliated media outlets have led libelous campaigns against Georgia's pro-democracy forces.

Nearly every election under GD has demonstrated massive abuse of power, fraud, intimidation, and other kinds of voter manipulation. However, the watershed moment occurred in 2018 when the GD-supported presidential candidate, Salome Zurabishvili, struggled to secure victory in the first round of the presidential election. At that point, Ivanishvili apparently realized the urgent necessity of transforming his communication strategy. For the second round of voting in 2018, the main pro-GD media outlet, Imedi TV, announced that it was switching to an “emergency mode” to prevent the defeat of the GD candidate.[1]

Shortly after the 2018 elections, GD implemented four major policies designed to flood Georgian society with lies, disinformation, and hate speech: (1) eliminating political debates on television; (2) establishing a well-funded network of traditional media outlets operating in a centralized manner; (3) utilizing social media for propaganda purposes through a vast number of fake accounts; and (4) intensifying disinformation campaigns and promoting conspiracy theories. These four pillars constitute the foundation of GD propaganda and represent a significant threat to Georgia's future as a sovereign, democratic state.

"The strongest democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate." – Barack Obama

Over the past seven years, GD has implemented a policy that eliminates opportunities for debates between the ruling party and the opposition. The oligarch's party has effectively managed to eliminate any space for meaningful public discourse. As part of this strategy, pro-government media outlets refuse to give airtime to opposition parties, critical civil society groups, and anyone who challenges the government, while GD politicians are prohibited from participating in debates organized by critical media, thus consistently refusing invitations from to engage in debates with the opposition or participate in interviews with critical television hosts. Hence, since 2019, Georgian citizens have not witnessed any meaningful live discussion between representatives of GD and other parties.

Shortly after the 2018 elections, the pro-government and most popular television channel, Imedi TV, closed its doors to critical voices. This media outlet has intensified disinformation campaigns and frequently promotes false narratives against democracy activists, SCOs, and political parties, while simultaneously denying these groups the opportunity to respond to such allegations on air—a clear violation of media standards and ethics. There have been numerous instances when opposition leaders demanded airtime on Imedi TV, claiming that the channel had spread lies about them and their colleagues; however, Imedi TV has consistently refused such requests. According to various statements of its owner, Imedi TV's main goal is to prevent the former government from regaining power, which is why they deny airtime to opposition.[2] [3]

Another element of this policy involves GD representatives refusing invitations from independent media in order to avoid debates with critical individuals or evade television hosts who are beyond government control.[4] Independent media outlets have repeatedly attempted to invite GD politicians to participate in debates between GD and other parties, but all such attempts have failed. According to the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics report from 2024: "For many years now, in parallel with deepening polarization, clearly pro-government channels have not invited opposition politicians, while pro-opposition channels have been boycotted by the representatives of the authorities themselves."[5]

Under this policy, GD enjoys a considerable advantage because the resources of pro-GD media far exceed those of independent media outlets that struggle with an unfair environment and limited finances. Superior financial resources and favorable government policies provide pro-GD media with tremendous opportunities, resulting in audiences that are significantly larger than those of independent media. GD enjoys access to the majority of Georgia's television screens, enabling them to disseminate their propaganda without any counterarguments on air.

"He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past." – George Orwell

In order to "control the present," GD controls the flow of information and the means of its distribution. GD launched its aggressive media policy while still in opposition. In 2011-2012, Bidzina Ivanishvili invested heavily in a satellite dish project - GD representatives delivered satellite dishes to households in regional areas, which helped the party spread mainly disinformation and propaganda-based messages through the GD-controlled media outlet "TV9". Shortly after the 2012 election, TV9 was shut down. However, GD then placed its bet on Imedi TV, making this channel the most influential. Soon, the government silenced Rustavi 2 - the main opposition TV channel - and attempted to eliminate alternative media voices in 2019.[6]

Over the past several years, the Dream party has established a well-funded network of traditional media outlets. These affiliated media include Imedi TV, Rustavi 2, POSTV, and, sadly, the Georgian Public Broadcaster. Two of these broadcasters—Imedi TV and POSTV—officially state that their primary goal is to prevent the so-called "collective UNM" (a term used by GD propaganda against the opposition) from regaining power. According to the Communication Commission, Imedi TV, Rustavi 2, and POSTV generated the highest commercial revenues in the first quarter of 2025[7]. Pro-GD media also enjoys a highly favorable environment regarding budgetary contracts. In 2023, more than 98% of budgetary advertisement contracts were granted to pro-government media.[8] These television channels also command the majority of the Georgian audience.[9]

Simultaneously, managers of independent media constantly protest the unfair media environment and GD's attempts to eliminate free speech in the country. One of the main opposition channels, Mtavari TV, has already ceased broadcasting.[10] Over the past year, GD has adopted numerous pieces of legislation that limit independent media's ability to receive funding, making it extremely difficult for such outlets to operate.

Under current conditions, GD effectively manages to control the flow of information, making it immensely difficult for independent media and democratic forces in Georgia to counter the danger posed by such policies.

"The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction and the distinction between the true and the false no longer exist." – Hannah Arendt

Like other authoritarian regimes, GD began using social media to manipulate citizens many years ago. In April 2020, META removed 511 pages, 101 Facebook accounts, 122 Facebook groups, and 56 Instagram accounts in Georgia due to "coordinated inauthentic behavior."[11] According to observations, some of the removed false media pages conducted campaigns in favor of the ruling party.[12] META has executed such operations several times over recent years, and the majority of removed accounts and pages have been linked to GD. According to a Media Development Foundation (MDF) report, anti-opposition Facebook pages frequently used offensive and uncensored comments directed at politicians.[13] Observations also suggested that pro-GD media and social media pages disguise themselves as regional media outlets.[14]

GD party-affiliated or related social media pages and accounts frequently employ various information manipulation techniques. Such pages widely utilize video and photo manipulations, fabricated quotes, and disinformation. They typically target the opposition, independent media, civil society and activists, protest movements, the Western world, the EU, and the US, portraying these entities and individuals as anti-Christian, anti-tradition, and anti-peace forces. Georgian social media is flooded with such propaganda. The line between truth and falsehood is blurred, helping GD maintain Georgian society's division and distraction while it strengthens the authoritarian regime.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." – Winston Churchill

The fourth pillar of GD's propaganda involves promoting false narratives and implausible conspiracy theories. Regarding conspiracy theories, most people might think of the global war party conspiracy; however, GD employed such narratives many years before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The first well-developed theory relates to the war between Russia and Georgia in 2008. According to GD's version, in 2008 Georgia's government initiated a war against Russia under Russian directives to provide Russians with a casus belli to invade Georgia and occupy parts of the country. Therefore, GD portrays this war as a coordinated effort between Russia and Georgia's then-government to divide the country. GD began using this conspiracy theory actively in 2018, although Ivanishvili and his party have consistently claimed that UNM started the August war.

In 2020, prior to the parliamentary elections, GD came up with another conspiracy theory against its opponents. According to this conspiracy, GD claimed that Georgia's former government had “sold” lands to Azerbaijan.[15] The prosecutor's office opened an investigation against two cartographers and subsequently arrested them. Pro-government media, paid “experts”, social media pages, and accounts launched a massive campaign against the opposition, accusing them of treason and selling Georgian ancestral lands to another country. This case became the most important issue during the pre-election campaign and helped GD distract citizens while remaining in power. Notably, after the elections, GD and its controlled media ended the campaign.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, GD developed another conspiracy theory about a certain “global war party” which wanted to make Georgia a "second Mariupol," but thanks to the wisdom and courage of Bidzina Ivanishvili, they managed to maintain peace. Over the past several months, GD amended the global war party theory and incorporated elements from Western conservative narratives, transforming the "global war party" into the "deep state."

Simultaneously, GD has intensified attacks on political opponents, portraying them as traitors, agents of foreign countries, and assets of the global war party/deep state. Its traditional media networks, social media pages, politicians, and so-called “independent” experts launched an aggressive campaign with messages primarily aligned with the conspiracies they have developed.

Such lies, disinformation, and conspiracies severely damage Georgian society, undermine its core foundations, erode common sense from public discourse, portray friends as foes, and keep the Russian-backed regime in power.

These four pillars of propaganda provide GD with the ability to keep Georgian society distracted, saw distrust in citizens, and promote polarization. Ultimately, this policy empowers the regime and undermines Georgia’s sovereignty and democracy. For Georgia's democratic revival, it is critically important to re-engage political debates, support independent media, counter propaganda on social media, and address implausible conspiracy theories.

Conclusion

The GD propaganda machine, launched in 2011, has been updated to fit the regime’s goal of staying in power indefinitely. The four pillars described herein help GD achieve this strategic goal. When one can't debate opponents on television, the ruling party controls the biggest media outlets, social media is flooded with disinformation, and the government promotes conspiracy theories, democracy struggles. The hazards are real: Georgians and Georgia’s friends must find a way to neutralize the malicious propaganda.