Vice PM: Ukraine’s decision to sanction Georgian citizens “another attempt” to involve country in hostilities
In her remarks over the matter, Tsulukiani pointed out the head of the Ukrainian security council, Oleksiy Danilov, was the person who had earlier called on Georgia to get involved in the war against Russia. Photo: Government Administration
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Thea Tsulukiani, Georgia’s vice prime minister and minister of culture, sport and youth, on Friday said the decision of the security council of Ukraine to impose sanctions on family members of Georgia’s former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili should be seen as “another attempt” to involve Georgia in hostilities amid the war in Ukraine.
In her remarks over the matter, Tsulukiani pointed out the head of the Ukrainian security council, Oleksiy Danilov, was the person who had earlier called on Georgia to get involved in the war against Russia.
The sanctions imposed by the Ukrainian authorities against Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family members is a decision of the security council. The head of this council is the person who called on our nation to get involved in the war and was not worried about the effect it would have on our generations”, Tsulukiani said.
The minister deplored the fact of authorities of Ukraine - which she said “claims to be a friendly country” - making such “hostile” decisions.
Perhaps, this decision coming from the security council should be perceived as another attempt to involve Georgia in hostilities, but this will not happen. The main priority of our government in our country is peace”, Tsulukiani concluded.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday issued a decree sanctioning four Georgian citizens, which includes the blocking of assets, restriction of trade operations, flights and transportation on Ukraine’s territory, as well as suspension of economic and financial obligations and more.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said a relevant diplomatic response to the sanctions was the prerogative of the Georgian government.
The Georgian Government has supported Ukraine “at all international levels” and will continue to do so on the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of the country, Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili told a meeting of the Government on Monday.
Diplomatic response to the sanctions, imposed by Ukraine on the family members of the former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, is the prerogative of the Georgian government, Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party said on Thursday.
Georgian minister of foreign affairs Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said his government was continuing its support for Ukraine in “political, diplomatic and humanitarian directions”, which he said had started with the launch of Russia's "full-scale military aggression" against the country.
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.
Irakli Beraia, the chair of the Georgian parliament’s committee on defence and security, on Friday said Oleksiy Arestovych, the Ukrainian presidential adviser, was an “absolutely unreasonable person” whose statements “lack common sense and content”.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the chair of the Georgian parliament’s committee on human rights, on Friday said there were “forces” in the Ukrainian government who wanted to “play the role of firestarter” in relations between the two countries.
Irakli Kadagishvili, the chair of the Georgian parliament’s rules and procedural issues committee, on Friday alleged representatives of the Ukrainian government were “on the path of revenge” with the idea of opening a second front of the ongoing war in Ukraine in Georgia, calling it “madness” the Georgian government would “never agree to”.
Georgian justice minister Rati Bregadze on Friday said this week’s vow by Oleksiy Arestovych, the adviser to the office of the president of Ukraine, to “free and save Georgia” with use of troops after his country defeated Russia in the ongoing conflict was of “criminal nature” and contradicted international law.