Parliament Vice Speaker slams Ukrainian MP for “unfriendly” statements, vows support for Ukrainian people

Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday slammed David Arakhamia, a member of the ruling People's Servant party in the Ukrainian Rada of Georgian descent, for making “unfriendly” statements towards Georgia.  

Talakvadze was commenting on the statement of Arakhamia who on Thursday criticised the Georgian Government for statements made on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 Russian invasion in Georgia, by saying he expected the Georgian Government not to have the “courage to rebuke the aggressor”.

In his remarks over the matter, the Parliament official stressed Arakhamia's statements were “unfriendly” and repeated the narrative of the opposition United National Movement party in Georgia.

Since our friendly country, Ukraine, is at war with Russia, we have been refraining for all these months from assessing specific political figures in the Ukrainian Government like they actually deserve. As for David Arakhamia, these are unfriendly statements made by him towards Georgia”, Talakvadze said.

Talakvadze expressed his “astonishment” that Ukrainian politicians, including high ranking officials of the country’s Parliament, “find the time to interfere” in the internal political affairs of Georgia while their country was at war.

[I] want to tell him [David Arakhamia] that no Georgian has ever won a confrontation with Georgia. So once again we lend our support to Ukraine, Ukrainian people, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”, he concluded in his comments.

Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday slammed Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, for making “unsubstantiated” allegations towards Georgian authorities.

The comments follow claims by representatives of Ukrainian authorities since the start of the Russian invasion of the country, who have alleged the Georgian Government facilitating use of Georgia's territory by Russian individuals and entities for bypassing Western sanctions imposed on Russia due to the invasion. 

The claims by Ukrainian officials have not been accompanied by evidence of the violations, whereas their Georgian counterparts have rejected the claims in strong terms.