Georgian Vice PM Lambasts ‘Natsi’ MEPs, Former U.S. Envoy

Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Culture Tea Tsulukiani has slammed several respected international Georgia-watchers, including MEPs Viola von Cramon-Taubadel and Anna Fotyga, and former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Ian Kelly as “foreign Natsis” (a derogatory term by Georgian Dream to designate the United National Movement members and supporters) wishing to overturn the GD government.

“This is a small group of foreigners, among them I mean for instance German politician Ms. Viola von Cramon, who almost turned into a Georgian politician,” noted Minister Tsulukiani.

She said, “it seems [von Cramon] is no longer having as much business in her constituency and is directly interfering in Georgian politics, wagging her accusing finger now at someone, now at someone else, thinking she has the right to do so.”

Lambasting MEP von Cramon as a friend of “Natsis”, Minister Tsulukiani added: “I am sure she does not care much neither about Georgia nor for the Georgian people, because give backing to her friends, she is ready to openly insult a Georgian deputy, the government.”

MEP von Cramon has been a vocal opponent of the UNM during its stint in power. 

The long-serving Georgian Dream Minister also criticized Anna Fotyga, Polish MEP, saying when confronted by the government, MEP Fotyga would defend herself by saying “I love Georgia.”

But “it depends on what one means by ‘loving Georgia,’ the Minister went on, “The Russian[s] meant they loved Khachapuri [a popular Georgian cheesy bread dish – eds] when saying they loved Georgia. But Georgia is not just Khachapuri and beautiful Svaneti [region].

“Georgia is a nation in the first place that you must respect.”

Former U.S. Ambassador ‘Did Not Love Georgia’

The Culture Minister also lambasted former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, Ian Kelly. “I remember too well how much he did not love Georgia.”

“Perhaps, some Georgian mother shed Ian Kelly’s weight in tears [somewhere], weeping quietly for her children sent to various battles in defense of [Georgia’s] European and western choice,” Minister Tsulukiani claimed.

According to her, Ian Kelly “is not shying away from insulting the Georgian nation and its government daily, or multiple times a day, and from wagging his accusing finger at us as if we were pre-school pupils” and said “we should jointly stop and eradicate” such behavior.

She argued the state should have been firmer with this “small group of foreigners,” saying “you know what, this is an independent state, we have shed blood in this statehood from the times of our fathers and forefathers, starting with little girls and ending with big men, and could you please calm down a little because you are speaking to the sovereign state’.”

“These people are driven by narrow, partisan interest together with Natsis to overturn this government because they don’t consider you as their friends,” Minister Tsulukiani claimed.

Real friends

Instead of focalizing on these small group of detractors, Vice MP Tsulukiani argued, “we shall work with our real friends and partners, what the Georgian Dream has been doing from the day of coming to power…”

“We have real friends, their list is long, but they don’t show up in the Georgian media, because they speak to the government and none of them would dare to wag the finger at the Georgian MP, and by that to insult the Georgians.”

Addressing the western actors’ criticism of the “politicized justice system” in Georgia, the ruling Georgian Dream party and the government recently have increasingly opted for scathing remarks against international detractors.

In a seminal letter, published by GD Chair, MP Irakli Kobakhidze, “the matter is simple: either these people will admit, that Georgia is a state and that in any state, the law shall prevail, or we would have to out them as protectors of criminals.”

“They have to show, that they are friends of Georgia and not friends of Saakashvili and his criminal teammates”.

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