Parliament Speaker: Georgia in “extraordinary situation” due to Ukraine war
The Parliament Speaker stressed a consolidation of the country around state institutions as “especially important” through the circumstances stemming from the armed conflict sparked by the Kremlin’s military move that started last week. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Georgia finds itself in an “extraordinary situation” due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Friday, with the official highlighting the relevance of the conflict to questions of Georgia’s security.
The Parliament Speaker stressed a consolidation of the country around state institutions as “especially important” through the circumstances stemming from the armed conflict sparked by the Kremlin’s military move that started last week.
“We are in an extraordinary situation today, and hopefully we all realise that. This extraordinary situation is [...] the war that is going on in Ukraine [...] which is related to the security of Georgia,” Papuashvili said.
In his comments, the Parliament official pointed to the activities of the government in supporting the Ukrainian people, including a United Nations General Assembly resolution - sponsored by countries including Georgia - that condemned the invasion.
The Parliament Speaker added an annual report by the President of Georgia would be presented at a Parliament session next week.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken told Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Thursday his country would continue to support Georgia in its Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken extended his gratitude to Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili for the support the Georgian government has provided to Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion of the country, as the two officials spoke on Thursday.
Georgia not only joined, but also sponsored the United Nations resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Zalkaliani said on Thursday in reference to the UN General Assembly resolution demanding an immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces.
Bogdan Aurescu, Romania's Foreign Minister, said he will ask his counterparts for more support for partner states, “especially the Republic of Moldova and Georgia”, as the official arrived at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday.
A meeting between foreign ministers of NATO on Friday discussed the alliance’s need to support partners like Georgia who face risks due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a briefing in Brussels.
Collective discrimination against people on ethnic grounds is “completely and categorically unacceptable”,Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said at a briefing on Friday, adding that punishment of Russian citizens due to actions of their government in Ukraine would be an “unheard-of phenomenon in the civilized world”.
Despite challenges and provocations, the Government will maintain “peace, security and stability” for our citizens and for the country, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told Monday’s Government meeting.
Political opposition in Georgia exhibits “double standards” in its differing reception to messages by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Georgian Dream party head Irakli Kobakhidze about unacceptability of ethnic discrimination of Russians leaving the country on the back of the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, GD MP Rati Ionatamishvili said on Friday.