Russian MP calls for freezing of Russia-Georgia relations after Georgian journalist insults Putin
Russian MP Evgeni Primavov says that Georgia will be affected by the statement of Giorgi Gabunia.Photo: Ria Novosti.
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Russian MP Evgeni Primakov calls for a ‘freeze’ on Russia-Georgia relations after an anchor of TV channel Rustavi 2 Giorgi Gabunia used offensive language against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He wrote that Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili condemned the journalist’s behavior, “however, we have not yet heard an apology.”
Here is what Gabunia said.
Primakov wrote on his Telegram channel that nothing is surprising from the Georgian media “which has sunk to the bottom,” expressing sorrow that all of Georgia will be affected because of the action of the single journalist.
Georgia should expect a continuation,” Primakov wrote after mentioning the ban on direct flights to Georgia, which has come into play today.
Top Georgian officials have called Gabunia’s statement a “very dangerous provocation,” creating threats to Georgia’s safety and stability.
Georgian President Zurabishvili stated that the step taken by Gabunia is a threat to statehood.
The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics said that the statement Gabunia made “harms both Rustavi 2 and the Georgian media,” decreases trust and respect to media outlets.
Georgian PM Mamuka Bakhtadze said:
Whatever we have observed today on Rustavi2 is nothing but disgusting act of provocation and an attempt to destabilize our country. Something that is totally unacceptable!
— Mamuka Bakhtadze (@BakhtadzeMamuka) July 7, 2019
People gathered in front of Rustavi 2 building in Tbilisi shortly after Gabunia made the statement late yesterday, saying that the channel is creating threats to the country and each of its citizens.
They applauded a cameramen who left the channel in protest and joined the demonstration.
Rustavi 2 Director Nika Gvaramia said that the channel “distances itself from the way Gabunia chose to express himself, not the view the anchor has of Putin.”
Russia “temporarily banned” direct flights to Georgia after Russian MPs were forced to leave Tbilisi on June 20, after Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov took the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker to address the 26th Interparliamentray Assembly on Orthodoxy.
Russia has also strengthened inspections of Georgian products and stated that the removal of the Russia-Georgia visa regime has been postponed.