Ruling party MP calls on opposition "not to act like fifth column" amid Ukraine war

Irakli Zarkua, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, has called on opposition parties in Georgia to avoid "acting like the fifth column" in the country amid the crisis of the war in Ukraine. Photo: 1tv.ge

Agenda.ge, 29 Mar 2022 - 15:30, Tbilisi,Georgia

Irakli Zarkua, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, has called on opposition parties in Georgia to avoid "acting like the fifth column" in the country amid the crisis of the war in Ukraine. 

In comments on the parties' stance on Georgia's position on the backdrop of the conflict, Zarkua criticised the opposition and urged them to condemn a recent call by some officials in Ukraine for Georgia to help the country's defence from Russian invasion by opening up military fronts to retake its Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). 

Do not be the fifth column [...], come out and say that the statement made by one of the Ukrainian officials is unacceptable. You did not say a word about this. You talk about how you love Georgia. Enough is enough. Georgia [already] went through this in 2008,” the MP said in reference to the Russia-Georgia war during a parliamentary debate on Tuesday.

Zarkua also argued Georgia had  come "closer to the West" under the GD Government, and called on the opposition to "assist the Government" in ensuring a peaceful development in the state. 

We have visa-free travel to the EU. We have opened the EU market to our business. We have managed to bring NATO closer to us and there are plenty of joint programmes. Georgia is ready for NATO today,” Zarkua said in comments on Euro-Atlantic integration achievements of the ruling party.