Abkhazian railway can be restored only when country becomes reunited - PM
Garibashvili also added that his Government had been guiding the country towards unity for more than 10 years with the “strategic patience and pragmatic, rational policy”, and pointed out that “every day, every step taken represents a well-thought-out step that brings closer to the achievement of this “great common national goal”. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said the Abkhazian railway in the Russian-occupied Georgian territory “can be restored only when the country becomes reunited”.
In remarks at the Georgian Parliament to present the annual report on the work of the Government, Garibashvili noted the public was being deceived that there were “secret” negotiations underway regarding the restoration of the railway and “responsibly declared” that this issue was not the matter of negotiations.
The Government head stressed that his cabinet had no “hidden agenda” and all conversations about any issues had been made public both inside and outside the country.
Garibashvili also added that his Government had been guiding the country towards unity for more than 10 years with the “strategic patience and pragmatic, rational policy”, and pointed out that “every day, every step taken represents a well-thought-out step that brings closer to the achievement of this “great common national goal”.
He also noted that the country’s reunification must be the “main topic” representing the chance for both Abkhazians and Ossetians, as well as for the country overall.
“In case of the reunification, this place can turn into a paradise and billions of dollars of investment will come here, as soon as the country is reintegrated and the occupation ends, this is where all our efforts should be directed, we should all sleep and wake up thinking about this, including the [domestic] opposition”, he concluded.
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted his Government’s task to “save the country and protect the interests of the citizens” in the reality of changes in the rules-based international order and a “real” threat of nuclear conflict on the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Leaders of Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region plan to introduce visa regimes for states that refuse to recognise it as an independent state.
Georgia is condemning Russia’s "provocative” efforts to restore an old railway in occupied Georgia, and says the country will not tolerate "repeated aggression” on Georgian soil.
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