Georgia will “never allow” any sanctioned cargo to be transported through its territory - PM
Garibashvili called the allegations about the Georgian Government’s involvement in smuggling sanctioned goods “absurd”, pointing out it was “very unfortunate” to hear such “slanderous” accusations from Ukrainian colleagues. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgia will “never allow” any sanctioned cargo to be transported through its territory, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday, following accusations of Ukrainian authorities on Russia smuggling products using Georgian territory to evade sanctioned imposed on it for its invasion of Ukraine.
Garibashvili called the allegations about the Georgian Government’s involvement in smuggling sanctioned goods “absurd”, pointing out it was “very unfortunate” to hear such “slanderous” accusations from Ukrainian colleagues.
It was very unfortunate for me to hear such slanderous accusations from Ukraine. It is clear that this was a politically motivated statement - no evidence, no facts were presented,” the head of the Georgian Government said.
In his comments, Garibashvili wished the Ukrainians an end to the war, which he called “devastating” and said was a “great challenge not only for Ukraine, but also for the whole of Europe and the world.”
I would like to state unequivocally that Georgia will never allow any sanctioned cargo to be transported [through its territory], and especially [note] how absurd is the accusation that the Government is involved in this. This is completely absurd. Of course, we cannot make a serious comment on this, but I want to tell you that we will not allow the shipment of sanctioned products, goods through our territory. This is a very clear, unambiguous stance,” the Prime Minister noted.
Garibashvili also highlighted Georgia was “in full coordination” with foreign partners and exchanged information related to “sensitive issues”, concluding “there should be no more questions on this issue [of the smuggling allegations].”
On Monday, the Ministry of Finance of Georgia said the information alleged by Ukrainian authorities was “a completely baseless and absurd accusation.” Georgia has been exercising “strict control over all customs checkpoints” in the country and has been monitoring incoming and outgoing cargo since the beginning of the impositions of sanctions on Russia, the statement of the Ministry said.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Thursday Georgia would not be used to circumvent sanctions imposed against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia has a “very strong stance” on supporting Ukraine, expressed at all international organisations, Maka Bochorishvili, the Chairwoman of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, said on Thursday.
The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia has “categorically” declared that “any and all cargo”, including the goods in the list of international sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, is subject to “tight customs control” by the Georgian authorities.
The Georgian authorities are waiting for evidence from the Ukrainian Government that prove the “dirty lies” on the territory of Georgia being used for smuggling sanctioned products to Russia “as soon as possible”, Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Prime Minister and Georgian Minister of Culture said on Wednesday.
Georgia has been extending "clear and very active support" for Ukraine, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday in comments on the ongoing military actions in Ukraine.
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili has yet to receive the invitation of his Ukrainian counterpart to visit the city of Bucha where invading Russian forces have been reported to have committed atrocities, the Press Service of the Parliament of Georgia said on Friday.
Supporting Ukraine is a human and historical duty of the Georgian Government and the latter is intent on fulfilling it despite the “unfair and unfounded allegations” heard from Ukrainian authorities, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said on Friday.
There will be no “second front” opened in Georgia amid the war in Ukraine, and the Government will “continue to protect” its citizens, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday.
The Georgian Ministry of Economy on Saturday rejected a TV report that alleged the country’s Black Sea port of Batumi had served Russian vessels in circumvention of international sanctions placed on Russia, calling the claims “harmful and irresponsible”.
There have been no demands from the Ukrainian authorities to their Georgian counterparts on sanctions against Russia, as Georgia is already a part of all international measures imposed on the Kremlin following its invasion of Ukraine, Parliament Vice Speaker Archil Talakvadze said in an interview released by the Georgian Public Broadcaster on Sunday.
Georgia will not be a country where Russia will be able to bypass international sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili stated on Sunday, following his visit to Ukraine and meeting with the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Chair Ruslan Stefanchuk.
Any type of goods, both military and dual-use, as well as all products included in the international sanctions imposed by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and individual countries on Russia and Belarus over the military aggression in Ukraine are subject to “strict customs control” in Georgia, the country’s Revenue Service said on Friday.
The official position of the Georgian Government on the restrictive measures imposed on Russia by the international community for its invasion of Ukraine is “in full compliance” with the stance of the latter, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told PMs on Friday.
Andriy Kasyanov, a representative of the Ukrainian Embassy to Georgia, on Friday said Georgian diplomats had carried out their work in Ukraine “during the most critical time” of the Russian invasion of the country.