Politicians React to PM’s Speech at GLOBSEC Discussion
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who is visiting Bratislava to participate in the Global Security Forum (GLOBSEC) on May 29-31, took part in a thematic discussion where he spoke about the war in Ukraine, granting of candidate status to Georgia, international sanctions against Russia and the draft law on “foreign agents.” The Prime Minister named “NATO enlargement” as one of the main reasons of starting the war in Ukraine, adding: “I do not want to speculate, and I don’t want to quote the statements of the Russian government, but one of the reasons was Ukraine’s will and determination to become a member of NATO. Therefore, we see the consequences.”
The PM’s remarks triggered mixed reactions among Georgian politicians. Civil.ge offers a compilation of these reactions.
Retort by the ruling party
Shala Papuashvili, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament: “Georgian PM’s comments on NATO enlargement, which he said to be one of the pretext for Russia to invade Ukraine, caused different and largely mistaken or deliberately distorted interpretations…Georgia has the right to have a say when it comes to regional and international security and Mr Garibashvili’s words should be understood properly. We have the right to question the duplicity of some of our friends’ and critics’ attitude because many times now, Georgia was subject to unfair, almost hypocritical treatment…despite Georgia’s precarious existence under the foreign occupation and daily experience of threats and harassment, the West remained unfazed. Western countries imposed a de-facto arms embargo on Georgia immediately after the 2008 war and soon declared ‘reset’ with Russia. In subsequent years, the West increased foreign trade with Moscow to unprecedented levels, subjugating many Western economies to Russian energy diktat. Many Western countries, to this day, are afraid of calling Russian actions in the invaded Georgian territories its proper name – occupation… All Georgia did was to continue its responsible policy of strategic patience towards Russia, scrupulously practiced for many years now. This policy implies not imposing bilateral sanctions on Russia and not sanctioning Russia back for the latter’s decision to resume direct flights to Georgia, thus lifting the unfair punishment against our people… Russia’s retaliation would be detrimental to Georgian economy and statehood… Despite Georgia’s best efforts to get into NATO and the EU, we never get the deserved reciprocal steps from the West. Georgia was even left without the candidate status last year, even if we had been clear forerunners among the Associated Trio. With all this in mind, we should call a spade a spade and tell our Western partners that instead of undue criticism it is time that they help us to overcome our security predicament and get the well-deserved membership in NATO and the EU. For over 15 years now, the ball is in the Western side, on both EU and NATO courts.”
Irakli Kobakhidze, chairman of the Georgian Dream: “Western leaders say that Russia has not forgiven Ukraine for its aspirations to join NATO. There are many statements, there is a position, an attitude and a view that Ukraine was punished for aspiring to join NATO. This is not what only Irakli Garibashvili, nor Irakli Kobakhidze, nor any member of the team think. That’s not what it’s about; we are talking about the fact that was repeatedly expressed by Western political leaders. Russia did not like Ukraine’s aspiration to join NATO and this was one of the reasons for the military aggression… As for Irakli Garibashvili’s statement about the policy of strategic patience, in 2008 the policy of strategic impatience led to the surrendering of 20% of the territory by the then Georgian government to Putin. That was a policy of strategic impatience, to put it mildly, impatience was not the only problem here, it was the most dramatic adventurism, due to which the previous government, Saakashvili, his regime, the National Movement handed over 20% of its territories to the Russian Federation.”
Mamuka Mdinaradze, chairman of the Georgian Dream faction: “It turns out that the representatives of our radical opposition learned from the first time from [PM] Garibashvili that Russia is irritated by NATO’s expansion and is fighting against it… Yes, Russia is irritated by NATO’s expansion, and yes, it is fighting against it… Now they [the opposition] are building a logic on this which is so speculative that it cannot withstand any criticism, and at the same time, no one should forget that … the Georgian Dream government wrote in the Constitution that Georgia should aspire to the European Union and NATO.”
Remarks by the opposition
Tina Bokuchava, chair of the UNM – Strength is in Unity faction: “Irakli Garibashvili blames NATO for the start of the war in Ukraine and Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO. This is a very open message, including to Georgia, [aiming] to somehow alter the mood of the Georgian people, who say they want to join the European Union and NATO… This is a very deliberate, anti-Western rhetoric that the Kremlin is pursuing… Garibashvili’s messages do not correspond to the messages of the free world and the West, but rather echo Putin’s messages.”
Ana Buchukuri, For Georgia: “Georgian Dream offers us a new narrative that is incompatible with the country’s national interests… as if the restoration of our territorial integrity depends on Russia’s good will. I would be careful if I were those gentlemen.”
Ana Natsvlishvili, Lelo for Georgia: “This man has become the mouthpiece of Russia, the country that the rest of the world is isolating. They do not invite Russia anywhere, but Garibashvili goes in their stead and delivers the Kremlin’s messages.”
Khatia Dekanoidze, independent MP: “Russia is attacking everyone it wants to join, that is Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova. Russia does not want an independent, sovereign, developed… Georgia, Ukraine… We remember the statements of Russia and Putin… in 2008, when he wanted to overthrow the legitimate government of Georgia, capture it, conquer the country, enter Tbilisi, and you remember how the military aggression began in Ukraine, when Putin directly declared that Ukraine is not a sovereign country; therefore, the propaganda against joining NATO is in line with the foreign policy course that Georgian Dream has chosen.”
Giga Bokeria, chairman of European Georgia: “This is exactly an example of what we mean when we talk about treason. This is not a simple word, but when the Prime Minister of your country behaves like this, it should be given a proper assessment – betrayal of the national interests of Georgia.”
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
