Georgian leaders express concern with assault on Capitol Hill, express support for US democracy
The group of rioters stormed the Capitol building as electoral college votes were being tallied to confirm the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election in November. Photo via Sky News.
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The Prime Minister and President of Georgia shared their concern with the scenes that unfolded at the US Capitol building in Washington DC on Wednesday, but expressed confidence in American democracy to overcome the crisis.
PM Giorgi Gakharia and President Salome Zurabishvili tweeted their reactions to the events in which four people died after the building was stormed by supporters of President Donald Trump in an effort to halt the tallying of electoral college votes for confirming the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election in November.
The group of rioters breached the building's security with members of Congress forced to evacuate as police forces tried to contain the attack.
We reaffirm full solidarity and support to our strategic partner. Disturbing images of violence at the Capitol Hill, attack on state institutions is unacceptable. We believe in the strength of US democracy & are confident that democratic institutions will prevail.
— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) January 7, 2021
Offices of lawmakers including the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were stormed in the process, with DC police later revealing they had also recovered pipe bombs outside the offices of Democratic and Republican national committees. Police made 52 arrests during the assault.
In reactions to the events from Georgia, Gakharia tweeted on Thursday, affirming "full solidarity and support" and said attacks on state institutions were "unacceptable".
For 30 years, the US has supported Georgia’s path toward liberty and democracy. We’ve looked to the USA as an example. Despite yest. troubling scenes, US institutions have proven their strength, resilience in the face of violence. ???????? needs a strong ???????? to lead the democratic world
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) January 7, 2021
The Georgian PM added his government was "confident" the American institutions of democracy would "prevail" following the unrest.
Zurabishvili also shared her message on Twitter earlier today, noting US' support for Georgia over the past 30 years and saying Georgia had "looked to the USA as an example".
She also expressed confidence in the "strength, resilience" of state institutions in Washington in the aftermath and said the world needed "a strong [US] to lead the democratic world."
US President Donald Trump has congratulated Georgia on its Independence Day, stating that for decades the United States and Georgia ‘have enjoyed a strong partnership rooted in shared values and interests.’
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalklaiani will visit the United States next week. The Foreign Ministry announced today that FM Zalkaliani will travel to Washington D.C. on February 4-7 to participate in the annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom.
The bill which was earlier approved by the House of Representatives said that Georgia should receive “not less than USD $132 million in financial assistance.”
US President Donald Trump has signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 which includes $132,025,000 in financial aid for Georgia.
The United States Embassy to Georgia has thanked their ‘Georgian friends from across the political spectrum’ for their ‘messages of support’ over the recent storming of the US Capitol. The embassy is looking forward to ‘a positive, prosperous US-Georgian strategic partnership in 2021’.