PM Garibashvili’s address to nation: ‘Today is not the time for division – it is the time for unification’
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that amid the ‘challenges of the utmost importance’ Georgians ‘must all unite’ regardless of their political beliefs and views. Photo: PM's press office
Tweet 
Share
New Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has addressed the nation saying that Georgia’ has no time to lose’. ‘Today is not the time for division – it is the time for unification’, he stated.
Garibashvili who was confirmed prime minister yesterday said in his recent video address that amid the important challenges Georgia is facing nowadays, including the pandemic, ‘we must all unite’ regardless the political beliefs and views.
Yesterday, I presented the future vision of the government in the Parliament of Georgia. However, against the backdrop of a deliberate, insulting campaign against law enforcement officials – the hero police officers – I mainly had to talk about the destructive actions of the opposition, in addition to our common goals and challenges”, he said.
Garibashvili meanwhile added that today the Ministry of Internal Affairs enforced a law, 'which was a necessary condition for the reduction of radicalism in politics and the establishment of fair relations’.
Opposition United National Movement chair NIka Melia was arrested by special unit servicemen earlier today. Photo: IPN
Saying that ‘we are not counting the number of people gathered for the demonstration’ PM Garibashvili said ‘every citizen of our country is precious to us’.
Today, now that the law has been enforced and the state has taken its due place, I would like to call on all political forces who hold the country dear to open a real and earnest dialogue and to talk not about what divides us, but about what must unite us”, Garibashvili stated.
He noted as well that ‘against the backdrop of the challenges facing the country, it is time for dialogue, not confrontation’.
Facing unprecedented geopolitical challenges,Georgians must unite to overcome radical politics & restore the political dialogue in the name of our independence & European/Euro-Atlantic integration. All reasonable political parties should enter Parliament, ????????'s democratic platform
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) February 23, 2021
Calling on ‘all reasonable opposition forces’ to enter parliament, Garibashvili said they would ‘use the country’s legislature as the main platform for discussion’.
We are ready for real dialogue at any time and in any format. Together, we must ensure the consolidation of our statehood and independence, the further strengthening of the democratic system, the overcoming of social and economic problems, and Georgia’s integration into the European Union and NATO”, the new PM has concluded.
Shortly after the parliament approved Irakli Garibashvili's cabinet, former MP and head of opposition United National Movement Nika Melia was arrested by police earlier today.
A number of local non-government organisations and foreign dignitaries have expressed their concern over the special operation of Georgian police which stormed the UNM headquarter this morning to arrest its chair Melia.
Opposition politicians and civic activists who gathered in front of the parliament building in downtown Tbilisi following the detention of UNM chair Melia plan to camp out in protest tonight. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Police used tear gas in the room where Melia was gathered with his supporters, however before starting the special operation they evacuated the UNM office, where party leaders and opposition parties' representatives had been protecting Melia for several days.
PM Garibashvili stated in response to the UNM chair’s detention earlier today that ‘Melia is a criminal’ and that everyone in a democratic state is equal before the law.
EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell has responded to a special forces storm of the United National Movement office this morning to arrest its chair Nika Melia and said that 'all sides need to demonstrate responsibility and have the best interest of the country and the Georgian people at heart' in his post on Twitter.
Twenty-one people were detained earlier today when special unit servicemen stormed the United National Movement office to arrest party chair Nika Melia, announces Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The US Embassy in Georgia has responded to the arrest of the United National Movement leader Nika Melia and a special operation which stormed the UNM office this morning and stated that 'Georgia has moved backward on its path toward becoming a stronger democracy in the Euro-Atlantic family of nations'.
Former opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia has been arrested by police earlier today for refusal to post bail shortly after the parliament approved Irakli Garibashvili prime minister and his cabinet late yesterday. Melia was arrested in his office in the UNM headquarters in Tbilisi by special unit servicemen. Police allegedly used pepper spray in the room.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili met with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili earlier today to discuss the necessity of dialogue in the current political crisis. President Zurabishvili has also discussed the recent developments with the ambassadors of United States, France and Germany, Kelly Degnan, Diego Colas and Hubert Knirsch, respectively.
Georgian opposition politicians gathered at the residence of European Union Ambassador Carl Hartzel to discuss the recent developments in the country following the detention of United National Movement chair Nika Melia. United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan also joined the meeting.
US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has responded to the recent arrest of the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party in Georgia Nika Melia and called on political parties in the country ‘to return to negotiations in support of Georgian democracy.’
Georgian opposition parties have demanded the imposition of sanctions against politicians, judges and the law enforcers who participated in the recent arrest of the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia and who ‘act against the rule of law.’
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) monitoring co-rapporteurs for Georgia Titus Corlatean and Claude Kern have expressed their concern over the recent developments in Tbilisi. European Parliament members Marina Kaljurand and Sven Mikser have also called on the ruling party and opposition 'to immediately take necessary steps to de-escalate political tensions'.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Ali Asadov as well as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pasinyan, have congratulated Irakli Garibashvili on his recent confirmation as Georgia’s new prime minister.
The Georgian opposition parties which took to the street following the recent arrest of the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia are now holding a protest in downtown Tbilisi on Rustaveli Avenue. They say that protests will continue at parliament, the administrative building of the government of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and at Tbilisi City Court until Melia and the co-founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Giorgi Rurua are released, and repeat parliamentary elections scheduled.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has stated that he is ready to mediate talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition to help them end the current political tension in the country.