Czech Ambassador says report on “allegations” on exports to Russia was media "misinterpretation"
Petr Mikiska, the Czech Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday said the media had "misinterpreted" his comments about Czech-made products being exported to Russia via Georgia. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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Petr Mikyska, the Czech Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday said the media had "misinterpreted" his comments about Czech-made products being exported to Russia via Georgia.
Mikyska was summoned on Friday to the Georgian foreign office following the report by Georgian media outlet Netgazeti on Wednesday, which cited him as saying a part of products coming to Georgia from the Czech Republic had gone to Russia, in an apparent bypassing of international sanctions for the latter's invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili, demanded from the Ambassador a detailed explanation for his statement, which he said “does not correspond to reality and harms both the cooperation of the two countries, as well as Georgia's reputation”.
The Ambassador noted his words had been “misinterpreted” and “used out of context”, stressing there were "no questions" with Georgia’s enforcement of the sanctions, the Georgian foreign office said.
Georgia's Revenue Service on Friday "categorically and with full responsibility" declared the media report on Wednesday that cited the Czech Ambassador as saying Czech-made products had been exported from Georgia to Russia in a circumvention of international sanctions as "false information".
Anri Okhanashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee, on Friday said Germany was supporting the development of democracy in Georgia and the country’s integration into the European Union.
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Wednesday said NATO partners had “very clearly” stated their support for a progressive integration of Georgia into the alliance, adding the process would “definitely” continue.
Romanian, Latvian and Slovenian foreign ministers pledged their support for Georgia’s NATO integration at the ongoing meeting of the alliance’s FMs in Bucharest on Tuesday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said there could be a “diplomatic response” if an allegation by Czech ambassador Petr Mikyska about Czech-made products being exported from Georgia to Russia was confirmed to have been made.
The Czech Embassy in Georgia on Friday said Petr Mikyska, the Czech Ambassador to Georgia, valued the “principled” position of Georgian authorities on the international sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and “detailed” that his comments had been disseminated “out of context” by the media about Czech-made products exported to Russia via Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday discussed bilateral ties and existing partnership with the Czech Republic with the country’s outgoing Ambassador Petr Mikyska, the Government Administration said.