Social Media Monitoring

The political party "Georgian Dream" uses various manipulative methods to influence public opinion in the online space, a subject on which ISFED has published numerous reports. The propaganda ecosystem associated with the party - media outlets, individuals positioning themselves as experts, and anonymous accounts - becomes especially active during politically and/or socially significant events in order to influence the perceptions of a certain segments of society through various tactics.  

This became evident during the events that took place in Tbilisi in July 2025 – during the collapse of a residential building on Station Square and the eviction of residents on Tvalchrelidze Street. In parallel with these events, the propaganda network associated with the “Georgian Dream”, in order to cover up the Tbilisi City Hall’s responsibility, shifted the blame to the citizens involved in the incidents. In the first case, the propaganda network raised the issue of responsibility of the residents of the building, and in the second case, along with shifting the blame onto the citizens, it also spread discrediting messages about them. In addition, in order to cover up the issue of responsibility of the relevant state bodies, the propaganda network accused the opposition and the media of using the evictions to score political points. Along with avoiding responsibility, the goal of the information campaigns was to cover up systemic problems. 

Each campaign was coordinated, with propaganda media outlets, anonymous pages, and self-styled experts disseminating similar messages. This is not the first time the “Georgian Dream” propaganda network has sought to evade its own responsibility by shifting blame onto those involved in the incident and/or the opposition, or by discrediting them to downplay the gravity of the case. 

 

Collapse of a building fragment at Station Square  

On July 14, a section of a dilapidated residential building collapsed at Station Square, resulting in two fatalities. Shortly afterward, a Facebook user shared a video recorded in March 2024, showing that the building had already developed a crack a year earlier. According to locals, the Tbilisi City Hall was notified about the cracks several times. Soon after the incident, the city mayor, Kakha Kaladze, arrived at the scene, stating that the building was dilapidated and not subject to rehabilitation, and that the demolition of the building required 100% consent from the population, which the City Hall did not have. 

Soon after the incident, “Georgian Dream” representatives, individuals associated with them, pages, and media outlets began arguing that in the past, the City Hall had offered to build new houses and provide rent to citizens, but they themselves refused to move out of their apartments. In order to underscore the citizens’ responsibility, “Georgian Dream”-related media outlets and accounts started publishing copies of the statements of residents in which they refused to leave their apartments. 

 

 

Following the incident, a video was also shared on Facebook and TikTok platforms in a coordinated manner by the same actors, showing residents refusing to leave their homes after the incident.

 

 

 

Eviction on Tvalchrelidze Street  

On July 24, representatives of the National Bureau of Enforcement, together with the police, forcibly evicted residents living on Tvalchrelidze Street, and on the same night, 17 people were arrested on charges of violating administrative law. 

In parallel with the eviction, the “Georgian Dream” ecosystem - propagandistic media outlets, anonymous pages, and individuals positioning themselves as experts - spread discrediting posts about the evicted individuals. In order to make the eviction process less painful for the public, the posts emphasized the material conditions of the residents and indicated that they owned real estate and other types of property. On this issue, the Facebook pages of the propaganda media shared information bulletins, the so-called cards, about specific citizens. Individuals positioning themselves as experts supporting the “Georgian Dream” also focused on the material situation of the evictees. 

 

Propaganda media outlets and anonymous pages also spread discrediting posts about the person who tore his shirt on himself during an emotional appeal to the police officers. In this case, too, the emphasis was on his private property and it was indicated that such behavior on the part of the citizen served specific political goals. 

 

 

Along with the emphasis on material status, the residents were discredited due to their behavior and emotional state during the eviction. 

 

Similar to the Station Square incident, the purpose of some posts was to attribute responsibility to the residents themselves, who were subject to eviction. In particular, the emphasis was placed on the fact that the residents themselves refused to accept rent or provided housing. As in the previous case, copies of signed statements were distributed here, in which the residents refused to leave the apartments. In addition, specific individuals were discredited, who rejected the offer from government. 

 

 

In the wake of the evictions, a narrative was also formed that the opposition and media outlets critical of the “Georgian Dream” were using the event to score political points and campaign against the Tbilisi City Hall. The message that the discontent of the evicted people was staged and orchestrated by the opposition was actively spread by “political experts” supporting the “Georgian Dream”. The “Georgian Dream” has repeatedly used the tactic of covering up specific cases by putting the interests of the opposition at the forefront.

 

 

Other attempts of the “Georgian Dream” to cover up systemic problems  

This is not the first time the “Georgian Dream” propaganda network has employed tactics to shift blame onto citizens or other political parties during specific incidents. In August 2024, ISFED observed a coordinated campaign to discredit the mother of twins who died in a fire in Zugdidi. Soon after the incident, information was spread that the socially vulnerable family had their electricity cut off due to unpaid bills, and the mother had to perform manual labor and leave the children alone. An expert supporting the “Georgian Dream”, Nino Pochkhua, published a post on her Facebook page, in which she wrote that radicals were using the incident in Zugdidi against the “Georgian Dream” and trying to score political points. Pochkhua also indicated that the family did not have financial problems, and that the mother had left the children at home to go to Batumi and party. Experts acting in favor of the “Georgian Dream” have accused opposition parties and the media of manipulating the tragedies in the past, too. 

Following the death of a 16-year-old in the Rike Park area in January 2025, “Georgian Dream”–supporting philosopher Zaza Shatirishvili directed his criticism toward the “United National Movement” and the media. At that time, Shatirishvili accused the party of manipulating the tragedy and attempting to score political points, pointing out that similar cases had occurred many times before. Shatirishvili also held Mikheil Saakashvili responsible for the construction of the building. In this case, too, the purpose of the statements by experts and senior “Georgian Dream” officials was to absolve Tbilisi City Hall of responsibility by pointing out that the tragedy occurred on a private property. 

 

Summary  

In recent years, “Georgian Dream” has increasingly employed the propaganda tactic of shifting blame—targeting individuals, citizens, or political parties involved in specific incidents—in order to avoid taking responsibility. Shortly after an incident, actors within the “Georgian Dream”–aligned propaganda ecosystem, working in close coordination, disseminate targeted messages designed to influence the mood of the party’s supporters and the audience of propaganda media in the desired direction. As a result, the perception is created that the victims of the incident are the offenders themselves, that the state bodies are not responsible for the events taking place in the country or the city, and that their criticism has political goals. The victims of the incident are delegitimized and systemic problems are covered up using this tactic.