Gia Iakobashvili, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, says that if Georgian emigrants want to participate in elections, they must come to Georgia for that purpose.

Like members of the ruling party Georgian Dream, Iakobashvili also claims that emigrants cannot make an informed choice because they live abroad.

According to him, he does not want to give responsibility for the country’s future to people who “haven’t come to Georgia for decades.”

Iakobashvili made these statements on November 18, during his appearance on Gia Gachechiladze’s (“Utsnobi’s”) show Utsnobis Kidobani.

“Some of them do come, but these elections take place at the end of October, and they want to come in July or August, to relax somewhere at the seaside, fix their teeth, get some treatment—because they are also Georgian citizens and it’s cheaper here. They want to take advantage of all that and then leave.
Excuse me, and may God grant everyone long life, but they will be there, pay taxes there, not contribute anything here, and thenGod forbid when they eventually die, as everyone will someday, they will go to the embassy, and then their bodies must be transported here with Georgia’s budget money. I say this without any malice, but that’s what keeps happening, and it really upsets me…

It feels to me that a Georgian should live in Georgia. If hardship took you abroad, and you solved your problems there, you can return. And if you couldn’t solve your problems there—what are you doing abroad? Come back and at least be near your family,” said Gia Iakobashvili.

Georgian Dream prohibits Georgians living abroad from voting outside of Georgia.

There is no precise, official data on how many eligible Georgian voters live abroad. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March 2025, unofficial estimates suggest that more than 1.5 million Georgians live outside the country.

In 2025, within just nine months, emigrants sent $2.7 billion to Georgia;
in 2024 – $3.4 billion;
in 2023 – $4.1 billion.

Emigrants have been demanding the creation of more polling stations abroad so they can vote. Traditionally, polling stations abroad were opened only in Georgian embassies and consulates. For emigrants living far from these institutions, voting was difficult, requiring significant time and financial resources to reach a polling station.

During the 2024 parliamentary elections, emigrants launched public campaigns urging Georgian Dream to open more polling stations abroad. However, in 2024 the government opened only 67 stations -15 more than in previous elections.
With the new decision, Georgian Dream now prohibits voting from abroad entirely, arguing that anyone who wants to vote can come to Georgia.

It is noteworthy that since 2012 when 54.43% of emigrant voters supported the opposition support for Georgian Dream abroad has significantly decreased, and the ruling party consistently loses elections at overseas polling stations.

Results for Georgian Dream at polling stations abroad by year:

  • 2016: 39.6% (national level – 48.68%)
  • 2020: 29.03% (national level – 48.22%)
  • 2024: 13.49% (national level – 53.93%)