Politicians React to Karasin-Abashidze Leak
In an audio recording leaked on social media on October 31, Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Russian Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee, and Zurab Abashidze, the Georgian Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Russia, apparently discuss the possibility of the resumption of air traffic between Russia and Georgia in March 2022.
Civil.ge has compiled the politicians’ reactions to the audio recording.
Ruling Georgian Dream party
Rati Bregadze, Minister of Justice: “These people used to meet and talk, and there is such a channel of communication. I think there is nothing particularly secret here. If any kind of recording is released, which is most likely illegally obtained, it must first be proved authentic. I have not heard this, and it will be difficult for me to talk about it… You [journalists] want, and you should say it directly, to hold accountable the person who made it easier for the citizens of Georgia to travel [to Russia]… What would be the interest of the Russian Federation? I know and I can tell you from the Georgian point of view that it will be easier for the citizens of Georgia to travel… I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament: “Zurab Abashidze has commented on it. He said it’s the spring of 2022. I didn’t see the video myself, I only saw Zurab Abashidze’s comment, so I trust Zurab Abashidze, he will tell the truth to the Georgian society”.
Tengiz Sharmanashvili, Deputy Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Parliament: “I have not heard… as far as I know, these negotiations did not take place, there were no consultations with Russia on this issue [resumption of flights], and Russia unilaterally removed what it unilaterally imposed… [Karasin – Abashidze’s conversation] does not mean anything, because Abashidze is not an official who can make this kind of decision. The format [of Karasini-Abashidze] is simply to share views with each other”.
Opposition
Tinatin Bokuchava, United National Movement: “This is also Putin’s style to expose collaborators and traitors, that is, meaning Russia itself expositing the Russian government doing the Russian deed … I am sure that we will hear many more such things from Russia about this government, I do not exclude that [Levan] Davitashvili [Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development] was in Beijing not only to participate in the multilateral format, but that Ivanishvili’s pawn brought treasonous messages to Beijing and held secret negotiations with the country’s occupier and internationally recognized terrorist, Vladimir Putin.”
Salome Samadashvili, Lelo for Georgia: “This record confirms what we have been saying for a long time, that Abashidze is not a representative of Georgia, he is a representative of Russia, he is Karasin’s assistant who receives tasks from him. But the absurdity of all this is that he receives his salary from the money taken from the pockets of the Georgian people, and most importantly, there is no accountability, that is, he carries out his functions without control – the fulfillment of Russia’s tasks. I am going to raise the question in the Parliament – how can the society force the Russian representative Abashidze to be accountable to the people”.
Beka Liluashvili, For Georgia: “I appeal to the Prime Minister of Georgia to come out and say when did he lie? When he came out and proudly said – there were no formal negotiations on the issue of flights and it was Russia’s unilateral decision, or now they are lying to the citizens with this whole process and secondly, what are the other issues on which the audio recording has not yet been released… Maybe there are ongoing negotiations on other non-state, anti-Georgian issues, for example, whether the issue of Ochamchire is part of such negotiations”.
Paata Manjgaladze, “Strategy Aghmashenebeli”: “The Abashidze-Karasin format is useless and is designed to act as a decoy, as if Russia has no communication with “Georgian Dream” except through this format. Of course, this confirms that the communication was also through this channel, but “Georgian Dream” has a tighter, closer relationship and direct contact with Russia than the Abashidze-Karasin format, and this is evidenced by Partskhaladze’s direct contact to Russia, who is close to the Garibashvili’s and Bidzina Ivanishvili’s families”.
Khatuna Samnidze, parliamentary group “Reforms Group”: “I am not surprised that such a recording was revealed and that such relations exist. We have a government which, is characterized not only by its cautious policy towards Russia, as it calls it, but also by its cowardly policy and is at odds with national interests of the country. This record is another proof that this government does not have national interests as its main goal.”
Tamar Kordzaia, independent MP: “The fact, that it is the authorities that spread disinformation in this country, has been confirmed… We remember very well the announcements about the resumption of flights, that the resumption was a unilateral [decision] on the part of Russia. We asked very simple questions at the time… but there was no answer. These lies have been exposed.”
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
