Georgian PM says his role is to strengthen relations with country’s “main strategic partners” US and EU as much as possible
The head of the Government added that despite Georgia being a small country, it is “very strong”, with strong people, but “great success” cannot be achieved without its “partners and allies”. Photo: Government Administration.
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My role as the Prime Minister is to strengthen the relations with our main strategic partners the United States and the European Union as much as possible, as it is Georgia’s main path, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Thursday.
Garibashvili answered the questions of the reporters regarding the statements of Popular Force, a newly launched public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who had exited the team in June and said he would say “only one thing”, that every person in Georgia had and would always have, one of the main constitutional rights, freedom of speech.
We are a small country and we develop our country steadily. I, as the Prime Minister and our ruling team are obliged to develop our country, which needs strong allies, such as the United States of America, the European Union and European countries. Our small country, with very strong people, will not be able to achieve success without its partners and allies. My role as the Prime Minister is to strengthen the relations with our main strategic partners the United States and the European Union as much as possible”, Garibashvili said.
"Since Georgia regained independence, the US has undertaken many positive projects. [...] all states, and first of all the US, being the number one state, have their interests in different directions. We respect the United States and its representatives, and have close cooperation. The US Ambassador Kelly Degnan is a very active ambassador, involved in all the projects implemented by the US, but I think that with such polemics we will not be able to strengthen our relations, but instead weaken them. Therefore, my desire as the Prime Minister is to be more careful about these relations”, Garibashvili added.
The PM added there have been many challenges facing Georgia, including the ongoing occupation, and noted that the country needed a “lot of work”, development, and prosperity.
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Popular Force, a newly launched public movement composed of the former ruling Georgian Dream party MPs who exited the team in June, on Friday released a statement saying the United States Embassy “cannot get used” to a sovereign Georgian Government that “does not push the country towards war” amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Congressman Adam Kinzinger, the Co-Chair of the Georgia Caucus of the United States House of Representatives, on Wednesday called Georgia an “important ally” and “bulwark” against Russia following a meeting with Georgia’s US Ambassador David Zalkaliani.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and Erin McKee, the assistant administrator of the United States Agency for International Development for Europe and Eurasia on Thursday discussed relations between Georgia and the US, with this year marking the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the countries.