Opposition Leaders Comment on Tensions with Russia
Ex-Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili and the leader of opposition party Georgia?s Way denounced the Georgian authorities? policy in respect of Russia as ?irresponsible? and ?pseudo-patriotic.?
?The arrest and handover of spies is an ordinary and necessary thing, but there was no need to make a PR campaign out of this arrest, especially ahead of the elections? What we now have in respect to relations with Russia is absolutely irrational,? Zourabichvili said while speaking on the political talk show Reaction, aired on Imedi television on October 6.
Most opposition parties showed unity and expressed support for the authorities amid increasing tensions with Russia.
On the same talk show, Koba Davitashvili, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, said that he does not share Salome Zourabichvili?s opinion over the issue.
?We are in a cold war with Russia and what we need now is consolidation,? Davitashvili said.
But he criticized the authorities for a failure to boost democratic institutions in the country, including a more democratic election process, to gain more western support amid increasing Russian pressure.
?Kosovo status is looming and Russia is waiting for this moment to immediately recognize our separatist regions? independence. Meanwhile, just recently Mr. Solana [EU foreign policy chief] said that the Kosovo case might set a precedent [for other seperatist causes]. This was a very important statement, which unfortunately was not covered by our media sources. The only thing through which we can gain more western support is by strengthening democracy inside [the country],? Davitashvili said.
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