Opposition Slams Base Pullout Treaty with Russia

Opposition parliamentarians from the Republican and Conservative parties criticized the March 31 agreement between Russia and Georgia on Russian military bases pullout and called on the parliamentary majority on April 13 not to ratify the treaty.

The agreement, which is expected to be ratified by the Parliament on April 13, was discussed at the session in the absence of the opposition parliamentarians who are boycotting parliamentary sessions.

The opposition lawmakers said that they oppose the agreement’s provision which says that an agreement should be elaborated as soon as possible on setting up a joint Georgian-Russian anti-terrorist center with the use of part of the personnel and equipment currently deployed at the Russian military base in Batumi, Adjara Autonomous Republic.

“We ask why it is necessary to legalize the presence of a GRU [Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate] unit in Batumi, which is in the proximity of NATO member state [Turkey] and how it will be reflected on our national interests,” MP Ivliane Khaindrava of the Republican Party said at a news conference on April 13.

“I call on the parliamentary majority to refrain from ratifying this absolutely worthless agreement, which the authorities and parliamentary majority try to claim as a huge success, which is not true,” MP Koba Davitashvili, leader of the Conservative Party, said at a news conference.

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze, who presented the agreement to Parliament for ratification on April 13, downplayed opponents’ concerns.

“The commitment to negotiate with Russia over this issue [the setting up of the joint anti-terrorist center] does not automatically mean the creation of this anti-terrorist center… Talks on this issue will continue if Russia pushes it,” Antadze said and added that Russia has so far been “passive” over this issue.