Parliament speaker highlights security risks of occupation amid Russia’s Ukraine invasion

Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday highlighted security risks Georgia faced on the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a country that had a part of its territory occupied.

Papuashvili noted that since the start of the “aggressive war” by Russia against Ukraine, the security environment had become “particularly” subject of risks.

In general with regards to the security environment, after the start of the aggressive war by Russia against Ukraine, the fact that the security environment is particularly full of risks is what we have been talking about for several months, and we see the opponents [from a part of domestic opposition] trying to simplify this issue”, the head of the legislative body said.

Papuashvili stressed the country that had occupied parts of Georgia’s territory was currently waging an “aggressive war” against Ukraine, leading to the risks being multiplied.

[A] country whose part is occupied is itself at a high risk in terms of security. [...] We live in an environment of these risks, and that is why the Georgian government is trying to pass through this period thoughtfully in this very dangerous environment”, he concluded.