Granting Norwegian democracy award to Saakashvili “insulting” given past violations - FM
In his comments to the Georgian Parliament, the Minister said the United National Movement Government had failed to honour human rights during its time in office, and added he discussed Saakashvili’s selection for the prize at a meeting with the Norwegian Ambassador Helene Sand Andresen at the Ministry in March. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday said the Conservative Party of Norway’s granting of the Sjur Lindebrekke Award for human rights and democracy promotion to Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili earlier this year was “insulting” given the human rights violations of the latter’s former Government.
In his comments to the Georgian Parliament, the Minister said the United National Movement Government had failed to honour human rights during its time in office, and added he discussed Saakashvili’s selection for the prize at a meeting with the Norwegian Ambassador Helene Sand Andresen at the Ministry in March.
The top Georgian diplomat alleged the prize had been granted to the former official while “no human rights” had been observed in the country during his presidency.
He also told lawmakers he had raised the topic of the Ambassador’s “incomprehensible comments” in her criticism of Georgian Government officials’ responses to the award.
The meeting in March was hosted after Andresen said she was “astonished” by comments by Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who likened Saakashvili being awarded the Award to a hypothetical scenario of Anders Behring Breivik, a terrorist who staged 2011 attacks that killed 77 in Norway, being distinguished by a state.
In reaction to the remarks, Andresen also said she found them “highly inappropriate”. She also noted the prize did not represent the position of the Norwegian Government and was the initiative of a specific party.
Ilia Darchiashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, on Friday said “any politician” in the country whose “actions and statements” posed threats to the domestic economy, security and Georgia’s European integration could “identify themselves” as members of a “global war party”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday highlighted his country’s progress on its European integration path, his office’s plans for the forthcoming NATO Summit in July and the importance of the Government’s stance and efforts for peacefully reintegrating the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions, in his report to the Parliament.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday highlighted the Government’s “very active” and “quite dynamic” cooperation with the European Union, but noted the country’s eventual membership in the bloc was “up to each member state”.
Giorgi Kakhiani, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili receiving awards for his work for freedom or human rights from “certain foreign states” was an “insult” to individuals who had experienced “severe violations” of their rights under the rule of his former United National Movement Government.
Officials of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Tuesday criticised the Norwegian Conservative Party for awarding the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili with the Sjur Lindebrække Prize for Human Rights and Democracy, a move they said was “cynical” towards the Georgian state and its citizens.
Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia and Helene Sand Andresen, the Norwegian Ambassador to the country, on Tuesday met to discuss the presentation of a human rights award by the Conservative Party of Norway to Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and the diplomat’s response to the event.
Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, on Monday criticised the Norwegian Conservative Party for awarding the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili with the Sjur Lindebrække Prize for Democracy and Human Rights.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said the awarding of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili with Norway’s Sjur Lindebrekke Award for promotion of human rights and democracy was a “mockery” and an “insult” to Georgia’s citizens.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Monday said the efforts of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and his team to return to politics in the country was a “forced move”, and alleged their “main goal” of “evading justice”.