Salome Zurabishvili’s Interviews to French TV Channels

On June 1-2, the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, gave interviews to the French television channels Franceinfo, LCI and France24. During the interviews, she spoke about Georgia’s EU bid and the EU candidacy status, the former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, and the conflict in Ukraine.

Interview with Franceinfo

In the interview, Salome Zurabishvili concurred with the journalist, asserting that Irakli Garibashvili speaks in alignment with the views of Putin. Speaking about Mikheil Saakashvili, she expressed her endorsement of a “compromise” regarding the former President Saakashvili, emphasizing the need for improved conditions and treatment, rather than outright amnesty. She acknowledged Saakashvili’s role as a catalyst for Georgia’s reform movement, as recognized by the international community. However, she also noted the sensitive nature of the issue of political impunity in post-Soviet countries.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, Zurabishvili expressed her view that once Ukraine has achieved victory in the war and decides that it is time to start negotiations with Russia, the international community should compel Russia to engage in the negotiation process and give up all occupied territories. She stressed the importance of seizing this opportunity to avoid future regrets and to keep a clear view of reality. In the aftermath of Ukraine’s triumph, she advocated a tougher approach towards Russia, not with the intention of facilitating disintegration, but rather to support its transformation into a “more normalized country within its normal borders.”

Interview with LCI

During Salome Zurabishvili’s interview with the French TV channel LCI, the anchor characterized the Prime Minister of Georgia as pro-Russian, to which Zurabishvili responded that nobody in Georgia can be considered pro-Russian. She clarified that while there might be individuals who, due to diverse domestic political considerations, make statements or take actions that appear pro-Russian, they do not fundamentally align with a pro-Russian position.

President Salome Zurabishvili again responded to a question regarding the potential pardon of Mikheil Saakashvili. Zurabishvili asserted her principle of not addressing questions pertaining to the right to pardon. She noted she receives numerous pardon requests from Georgian citizens, some of whom are well-known while others are not and emphasized that providing detailed explanations regarding her decisions would erode her discretionary powers. However, she did state that in this particular case, the right to pardon is constrained by specific circumstances, which prevent her from exercising it.

Instead, Zurabishvili emphasized the importance of treating a president who is incarcerated, and has committed crimes, as a former president deserving proper care for their health. She noted, that she has discussed with relevant authorities the possibility of involving a group of foreign doctors to address any suspicions of mistreatment, since she believes that dispelling any doubts about deliberate mistreatment would be beneficial. She emphasized that it is not in Georgia’s best interest to be associated with the negative image described, which she believes does not reflect the country’s true identity.

President Salome Zurabishvili stated that she is the first person to believe in the necessity of taking all measures to prevent any unwanted incident. She emphasized that he is currently receiving treatment at a private clinic, and the Georgian authorities are in contact with his doctors. Although she does not recall the exact number, he has had over 300 visits in the past year. His mother remains by his side constantly and is able to see him. She noted, that while the possibility of his imprisonment raises concerns, she does not believe it is necessary to overly dramatize the situation. Once again, she is the foremost advocate for implementing all necessary measures to avert any unfortunate outcomes.

Interview with France24

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili discussed Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union in an interview with France24 English, a French TV Channel, on June 2. Zurabishvili acknowledged the swift progress Georgia has made in pursuing its EU future, attributing the accelerated process to Russia’s war in Ukraine. However, she also recognized the missed opportunities that occurred along the way, concurring with the journalist that not implementing Charles Michel’s April 19th Agreement was one such missed opportunity.

In response to the question about the Georgian Dream party’s hesitance and its tendency to see the war’s outcome before committing to the Euro-Atlantic integration, Zurabishvili characterized their political decisions as puzzling. She attributed this hesitance to a mixture of fear, caused by the events unfolding in Ukraine, and uncertainty regarding Georgia’s own capabilities. Additionally, she mentioned the upcoming elections, acknowledging the challenges the party might face in achieving a “full victory” if they were to implement certain recommendations put forth by the European Union.

Salome Zurabishvili repeatedly described Russia’s actions as a “provocation” in response to the journalists’ questions about direct flights to Russia and visa liberalization. To the suggestion that there are Georgians in Russia and some individuals in Georgia may wish to study there, she emphasized the presence of the Georgian diaspora in Russia but stated, “there is nobody that wants to go and study in Moscow from Georgia today, that I can guarantee.” Zurabishvili also pointed out that 780 thousand Russian citizens moved to Georgia within a year, indicating that it was possible to travel to Georgia without relying on direct Russian flights. She emphasized that her concern lies not with Russian flights but with the unnecessary provocation from Russia, particularly when Georgia is on the verge of attaining candidate status. In this context, she remarked that Putin’s lack of concern for the well-being of Georgians is evident, stating that he could demonstrate concern by withdrawing troops from the two occupied territories, instead of lifting the flight ban.

Lastly, Zurabishvili addressed the issue of Mikheil Saakashvili and the damage his mistreatment has inflicted on Georgia’s image. She clarified that she has been actively taking steps to improve the situation, but emphasized that the damage was primarily caused by the decisions made by the government, rather than the non-pardoning of the former president. Zurabishvili suggested that Saakashvili should be treated similarly to other presidents worldwide who have faced sentencing, such as through the use of “electronic bracelets” and other measures that align with the practices of an EU country, ensuring that he serves his sentence in a manner consistent with European standards.

Concluding the interview, the host posed a question to President Zurabishvili regarding her perspective on whether pro-European forces in Georgia “are going too fast” and Georgia’s traditional society might oppose certain European values, such as safeguarding the rights of the LGBTQ+ minority. The President emphasized that the Georgian society’s opposition lies primarily in its aversion to anything resembling propaganda, reminiscent of the prominent Russian propaganda from the past. She highlighted that “Georgia’s culture and population are quite tolerant. So, discrimination is not in their DNA”. Furthermore, she emphasized that virtually every Georgian family has a relative who studies, works, or resides in the Western countries, and their influence has led to a shifting societal outlook. This shift is exemplified by the consistently high support of over 80% of Georgians in favor of EU integration, she noted.

To be updated…

Also Read:

• 01/06/2023 – Politicians React to President’s Address to European Parliament
• 31/05/2023 – President Zurabishvili at the European Parliament: We need to ensure that we do not miss a second chance
• 30/05/2023 – President Zurabishvili Visits Brussels

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)