Prime Minister: “main interest” is to protect security of Georgia, citizens

The main interest of the Government on the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine is to protect the security of the country and its  citizens, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday while also criticising the opposition for holding protests observed in “no other country”.

"Our Government, with its reasonable and state-oriented national policy, is managing to maintain peace and stability in the country," added Garibashvili in his comments on the steps taken by his team since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last month. The PM called for “calm and consolidation” within the country, stressing the need for the public to be “united and strong” during the developments.

“No country in the world” has seen opposition protests demanding resignation of their governments, the PM said, calling the “anti-state” rallies held in capital Tbilisi following the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine “completely unacceptable and incomprehensible” in the reality of 20 percent of Georgia being occupied by the Russian forces since the 2008 war between the two countries.

"[The rallies were], of course, organised by the forces that have been pursuing anti-state, anti-national policies for years. Of course, this is a treacherous policy," Garibashvili said in reference to the protests about the Government’s stance since the start of the Russian invasion.

Making references to the 2008 conflict and the actions of the former Government during the war, Garibashvili highlighted the “unprecedented heroism” shown by the Georgian military in the war, in contrast to the "unprecedented cowardice" shown by the then-President Mikheil Saakashvili.

The person who committed “such cowardice” and the “traitorous and radical opposition groups” should “not be teaching the Georgian Government today how to love the country”, Garibashvili added in reference to the United National Movement opposition party, which was in power during and after the five-day conflict of 2008.

The PM also noted the Georgian Government “very clearly” expressed “unprecedented support” for Ukraine “from the first days” of the Russian invasion, citing its co-sponsorship of the United Nations resolution concerning the actions of the Kremlin, as well as positions taken within the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the European Union, and the Council of Europe.