Ukrainain ambassador to Georgia summoned for over ‘interference’ of ex-President Saakashvili
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has taken an official post in the country. Photo: sputnik.
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The Ukrainian ambassador to Georgia has been summoned to the Georgian Foreign Ministry as ex-President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who now chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council and is the citizen of Ukraine is ‘openly interfering in Georgian political and election issues.’
Saakashvili, who is wanted for several charges in Georgia, says that “he is fighting on the front line against Bidzina Ivanishvili (the founder and the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party).’ urging the opposition to be united in the fight against the current government ‘as the upcoming parliamentary elections in the autumn is decisive.’
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that Georgia expected Saakashvili to continue interfering in Georgia’s internal issues and had warned Ukraine to this effect.
We will summon the Ukrainian ambassador to the ministry today and demand explanations for what Saakashvili is doing interfering directly in Georgia’s internal issues. We had warned Ukraine, our strategic partner about this,” Zalkaliani stated.
Saakashvili took up an official post in Ukraine last month.
Initially, Saakashvili was offered the post of vice PM of Ukraine for reforms. However, his candidacy was later withdrawn.
The possibility of appointing Saakashvili to a position in the Ukrainian government immediately caused dissatisfaction in Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, President Salome Zurabishvili and Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze named Saakashvili's criminal charges as the reasons for their concern.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry will "monitor steps taken by the Ukrainian government" in deciding when Georgia's ambassador to the country will return to his diplomatic office. The ministry said it would follow "the process in Ukraine" and monitor steps taken by Ukraine in terms of "normalising relations with Georgia" in the near future.
The Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze came to the Georgian Foreign Ministry for consultations earlier today due to the appointment of Georgia’s convicted ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili as chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.
Levan Varshalomidze, who headed the government of Georgia’s autonomous Adjara region between 2004 and 2012, will chair the United Investment Office in Ukraine which will be created soon, Ukrainian media outlets cited President Volodymyr Zelensky as saying.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree appointing Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili as the chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council. Zelensky hoped Saakashvili will ‘’give impetus’ to his National Reform Council and help make ‘important changes' in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that he is not afraid that former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who now chairs the executive committee of Ukraine’s National Reforms Council, may one day oppose him as he did former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that she is ready to visit Ukraine ‘as soon as possible’ for the ‘best future interests’ of both countries, noting that the statements made by former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, are ‘affecting bilateral relations’.
Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who is now a citizen of Ukraine and chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, says that only the United National Movement and not any other opposition parties in Georgia is capable of winning the upcoming parliamentary elections in October and that ‘the UNM is the only party definitely to win.’
Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze, who was recalled from Ukraine to Georgia for consultations nearly four months ago, will return back to Ukraine when needed, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani noted today.
Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze, who was recalled to Tbilisi last year after former President Mikheil Saakashvili became chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, will return to Kyiv.