Georgian MP at PACE session: "We need to stop Russia"

A Georgian official is calling on the international community to do everything it can to stop Russian aggression and made an emotional plea at the European Council’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) session today.

In Strasbourg today participants of the PACE session heavily discussed the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukraine where official Moscow was accused of provoking and destabilising the situation and supporting separatist regimes.

At the session Georgian Member of Parliament Tinatin Khidasheli gave an emotional speech where she talked about Russia’s occupational policy and Georgia's two Russian-occupied regions.

"In these difficult times for Europe when a member state of the Council of Europe has started yet another war, this time with Ukraine, all our players and efforts shall be with the victims of war, those who suffer the most from Russian aggression and military advance,” she said.

Khidasheli noted Europe and the whole democratic world needed to do everything it could to stop the ongoing Russian aggression, its military advances and ongoing occupation of foreign territory.

"Dear Colleagues, we have among us a state that is continuing to occupy more and more territories of sovereign states. A state that is trying to rewrite international law, a state that kills, bulldozes whole villages, as they did in my home country, occupies and annexes territories on their own desire,” Khidasheli said.

"Because of the war started by Russia's ambitious imperialistic goals thousands have died, millions have lost their homes, daily lives affected and are seeking help. How many more causalities do we need? How many more people can flee their homes? How many more IDPs and refugees shall be emerging in the middle of Europe? How many more territories will we watch become occupied, or see ethnic cleansing in cities and villages. We need to stop using half tones, half sentences and to say in one, unified way 'Stop Russia!' Yes, we need to stop Russia and do everything in our capacity to give those who suffer the most help and support.”

Meanwhile, PACE will vote for continuation of sanctions against Russia on January 28.

Russia was deprived of the right to vote in Council of Europe in April, 2014 due to its actions which led to the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. The Georgian delegation is in favour of sanctions becoming stricter.