Ruling party head: “pragmatic” policy with Russia aimed at avoiding harm to Georgia, its citizens
In an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, Kobakhidze claimed the “radical” part of the domestic opposition “constantly demanded” from the Government to “deviate” from the policy of maintaining peace in the country. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the Government’s “pragmatic” policy with Russia was aimed at avoiding harm to Georgia and its citizens.
In an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, Kobakhidze claimed the “radical” part of the domestic opposition “constantly demanded” from the Government to “deviate” from the policy of maintaining peace in the country.
We have a cautious policy [towards Russia] and we are often criticised for that - for being cautious, pragmatic and not punishing our citizens. If [opposition criticism] is translated to what it really means, we are being scolded for not punishing our country and citizens. They scold us in different ways, but, naturally, they cannot say that directly”, Kobakhidze said.
The party official said while “everyone understood” why Moldova - a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States - was “cautious” in the current geopolitical context on the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, but “for some reason they do not understand Georgia's pragmatic policy”.
“Everyone understands why Moldova is cautious - that is, if Moldova has a cautious policy, which is accepted and no one criticises that. No MEPs have come out and said that the current Government in Moldova is pro-Russian or something. [But] [y]ou know what they are saying about Georgia - nonsense and absurdities”, he told the channel.
Since 2018, the [domestic] opposition has become even more aggressive in this direction. They have constantly offered such rhetoric, supported approval of resolutions and took steps that would lead to more and more escalation in Russian-Georgian relations and lead to a change to [the Government’s] pragmatic policies, the sole purpose of which was to maintain peace”, Kobakhidze alleged.
“Our national task is to preserve and strengthen sovereignty and also to restore territorial integrity. We have foreign priorities and none of these tasks can be accomplished if we do not maintain peace”, he concluded.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the Georgian authorities would ensure airlines sanctioned for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would not be allowed to operate at Georgian airports, following the Kremlin’s lifting last week of its ban on flights with Georgia.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday responded to criticism by domestic opposition and the United States Embassy over the restoration of direct flights between Georgia and Russia by pointing to the adoption of visa-free travel for Russian citizens by the former Government of Georgia following the 2008 war between the countries.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Monday rejected criticism by the domestic opposition and the United States Ambassador on restoration of direct flights between Georgia and Russia as “illogical”.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Human Rights Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said Georgia “has no intention” of cooperating with Russian airline companies sanctioned by the international community for its invasion of Ukraine.