Opposition MP calls Ukrainian officials to “caution” in comments on Georgian politics

Teona Akubardia, an opposition MP in the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday called for “caution” in Ukrainian officials’ comments on Georgia’s internal politics for the purpose of “maintaining friendship” and “for the sake of a common struggle”, in response to remarks by Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who on Sunday said Georgia had “zero” chances of joining the European Union under the current Government. 

In her comments, Akubardia highlighted she did not believe it was “right” to discuss Ukraine’s internal issues, “even though I have the opportunity to do so”, adding the approach contrasted with Podolyak’s claims, made in his interview with the YouTube channel Freedom, which she said were “not correct”.

The lawmaker added while she shared the position that Georgia had “no chance” of joining the bloc under the current authorities, due to their “absence of will to lead Georgia to Europe”, she still believed Ukrainian officials needed to “exercise restraint” in order not to harm bilateral relations by their comments about the country’s domestic policies. 

In his remarks about Georgia, Podolyak accused the Georgian Dream authorities of implementing “pro-Kremlin” policies and slammed them for launching impeachment procedures against President Salome Zourabichvili for her trip to Europe this month without the Government's consent, which the ruling Georgian Dream party said was a violation of the country’s constitution. 

The Ukrainian official also claimed Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative who visited Georgia last week, had tried to “show the right way” to “potential partners” while in Tbilisi, ahead of the bloc’s forthcoming decision later this year whether to grant Georgia its membership candidate status.