The Prime Minister/Chairman of the Georgian Dream highlighted the past 13 years since the founding of the ruling party as the "years of an unequal, yet righteous and successful struggle for Georgia`s independence, peaceful development, prosperity and the protection of the dignity of the Georgian people".

In his address at the ruling party`s congress, Irakli Kobakhidze noted this struggle was initiated by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Honorary Chairman of the Georgian Dream.

"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. I welcome our party`s founder and honorary chairman, Bidzina Ivanishvili. I welcome the members of the party`s political council, MPs, Government members, local government representatives, every delegate. I welcome our party members and the public. Being the Chairman of Georgian Dream is, of course, a tremendous responsibility and, naturally, a great honour. Let me express my deepest gratitude to each of you for your support and trust. I want to thank Irakli Garibashvili, who chaired the party for the past year and a half and contributed significantly to our party’s electoral success last year. I also want to thank him for all his service to the country and our political team during his years in high political positions.

It has recently been 13 years since the founding of the Georgian Dream. These have been 13 years of an unequal, yet righteous and successful struggle - for Georgia`s independence, peaceful development, prosperity and the protection of the dignity of the Georgian people. This struggle was initiated by the founder and honorary chairman of our party, Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili. Allow me, on behalf of each of you, to express our deepest gratitude to him for his service to the Georgian cause. Thank you once again: for your dedication to the homeland, for your great wisdom, foresight and patience in doing the Georgian cause, for ending authoritarianism in Georgia and for strengthening democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the country.

It is thanks to Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili`s contribution that today, for the first time since regaining independence, Georgia has a government under which our country has not experienced war and we have enjoyed 13 consecutive years of peace.

Our country maintains peace, stability, and a rapid pace of economic development. Most importantly, today, our small but proud country is independent and sovereign like never before. Once again, thank you very much for all this.

We see how influential forces are trying to make even the most powerful states cede their sovereignty; we see how they are destroying the economies of many countries; we see how they are trampling on the elementary principles of democracy and the rule of law, even in those countries that consider themselves the cradle of these principles; we see how they are trying to erase the national and religious identity of countries with ancient cultures; we see how they fight against Christianity… we see how they use different countries as bait to achieve their vicious political interests; we see how they try to erase people`s personal identity, how they oppose morality and traditional values, and how they instill numerous vices that would have been very difficult for any of us to imagine being presented as normal even 10-15 years ago.

Naturally, Georgia could not remain unaffected by these unhealthy global political processes… Throughout these 13 years, we have fought and continue to fight uncompromisingly for Georgia’s sovereignty, for the well-being of the Georgian people, for democracy and the rule of law. We fight to protect Christianity, to preserve peace, to strengthen traditional values, and to strengthen public morality.

This is an unequal battle in which the only advantage we have is truth. In this difficult struggle any retreat is a crime against our nation. Many thanks to the Georgian people, who over the past few years have shown exceptional knowledge and wisdom and have stood firmly on guard for Georgia`s national interests. It was precisely the trust and support of the Georgian people, society that was the main factor that allowed us to overcome the most difficult challenges in the most trying moments.

After radicals are removed from Georgian politics - which would happen very soon - the Government would defeat hatred, bring back misguided fellow citizens and unite the society…

We will not allow anyone to divide Georgian society through hatred - we will unite people through love for one another and for our homeland. On the other hand, by unification, we also mean the physical reunification of Georgia - the return of Abkhazia and the Abkhazians, Tskhinvali and the Ossetians, to the united Georgian state.

We believe that through peace, principle, love and patience, we will surely restore trust - and with trust, unity. In this way, we will fulfill our ultimate national Georgian dream: a united Georgia.

Ladies and Gentlemen, love conquers hatred, goodness overcomes evil and truth defeats lies. We will prevail many more times, because we are driven by love for our country and our people, we desire greater good for our homeland and our fellow citizens, and we stand in truth in the fight for our nation", - said Irakli Kobakhidze