Ruling party head: our stance on not imposing sanctions against Russia “unchanged”

The Georgian Government’s stance on not imposing sanctions against Russia remains unchanged and “no one can change” it, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party head Irakli Kobakhidze said on Wednesday. 

Kobakhidze said it was the United National Movement opposition party’s “obvious goal” for the Government to impose economic sanctions against Russia and “involve this country in the war”, leading to “dire consequences for Georgia and its people.”

The GD politician highlighted “no country in the world” had imposed sanctions on Russia following the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, despite Russia’s ongoing occupation of 20 percent of Georgia’s territory, its killing of hundreds of military servicemembers and civilians, and bombing of Georgia. 

Despite all this, after the 2008 war, the Georgian Government did not impose sanctions on Russia either. Moreover, during the rule of United National Movement, the Georgian Government partially introduced a visa-free regime for Russian citizens in 2010 and fully in 2012”, the GD party head said.

In his comments, Kobakhidze stressed by imposing economic sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, the Georgian government would not be able to “harm” Russia, but would put its own country and population “under the heaviest blow”.