Georgia has joined “all EU financial sanctions” on Russia despite threats - Austrian Chancellor
Karl Nehammer, the Austrian Chancellor on a visit to Georgia, on Monday said the Georgian Government was moving “in the right direction”. Photo: Government press office
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Karl Nehammer, the Austrian Chancellor on a visit to Georgia, on Monday said he was “very happy” Tbilisi had joined “all financial sanctions” imposed on Russia by the European Union for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, despite the presence of Russian occupation troops on Georgian territory.
Speaking at a joint press briefing with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, the Austrian official stressed the move by the Georgian Government was “worth of mention” amid Russia’s ongoing occupation of 20 percent of the country’s territory, with Russian troops stationed in central and north-western parts of Georgia.
This [the presence of Russian troops] automatically brings the reality that the policy implemented by Georgia must be expressed in a different reality. That is why I can say that I am very glad that Georgia supported all the financial sanctions imposed by the EU. It is really not easy, because the pressure on Georgia is very strong”, Nehammer said.
The Chancellor also pointed out the influx of Russian nationals to Georgia following the former’s invasion of Ukraine last year, and after the subsequent military mobilisation in September, had also been “challenging”, and praised the Georgian Government for walking “in the right direction”.
Honored to host first ever official visit of Austrian Federal Chancellor in ????????. This historic visit of @karlnehammer reconfirms ???????????????? dynamic co-op & ????????'s firm support to ????????’s integration w/????????. Along w/other matters discussed prospects of deepening trade & econ ties. pic.twitter.com/i2eL1KV15d
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) January 30, 2023
Pledging his support for the country’s European integration, Nehammer said it was "not an easy path” considering “a number of challenges”, but stressed it was “worth strengthening of efforts, making more investments, as this process will bring a lot of changes from the internal political point of view, including for the citizens of Georgia”.
He also emphasised all candidate countries for EU membership “must have the same starting conditions”, and that there “should not be any shortcut way to achieve the goal".
Niehammer said Austria, “like the EU as a whole, absolutely supports” the territorial integrity of Georgia, and “this is at the centre of our political activity when we act in relation to Georgia”.
It is very important in politics to have rational assessments. Politics is the art of opportunity. We should move in the corridor of these possibilities, and the Georgian Government is doing this. I know it is very difficult, it is more than difficult”, he noted.
In other comments, the Chancellor highlighted his Government had supported the presence of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia - the only foreign mission in the country observing developments adjacent to the Russian-occupied regions - with seven of the country's representatives serving in its roster.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili discussed opportunities for further deepening trade, economic, and tourism ties with Austria and possibilities for attracting more investments from the country at a meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday, the Government Administration announced.
The Georgian Government has ensured “all possible” progress for the country’s European integration over the past decade, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday at his joint briefing with visiting Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday welcomed the first visit of the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer to Georgia as “historic”, and pointed to the significance of the development as a confirmation of Austria’s “strong support” for the country.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday said Georgia was a “very important” economic partner for his country, and pointed to “many opportunities” for attracting Austrian investors, in remarks during his first visit to Georgia.
An Austrian delegation led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday visited the Odzisi crossing point in central Georgia, adjacent to the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, to hear from the European Union Monitoring Mission about developments in the area.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Monday discussed relations with the European Union, Georgia’s territorial integrity and the current situation in the Black Sea region with the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer during the latter's visit to the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hosted Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and his delegation at an official dinner in central Tbilisi to mark the latter's first official visit to the country.
Cooperation between Georgia and Moldova and the countries’ European integration process were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Oleg Serebrian, the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration.
Khatuna Samnidze, an opposition MP and the Chair of the Republican Party, on Tuesday said the Georgian authorities were “doing everything” to prevent use of the country’s territory for circumvention of the sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Tuesday said the comment by the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who on Monday said he was “glad that Georgia supported all the financial sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU”, was a “slap in the face to those who “make up fake news” on the sanctions being evaded using the Georgian territory.
The domestic opposition and non-governmental organisations have left the Georgian Government to face the ongoing “propaganda war” against the country “alone”, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili told journalists on Thursday.
Georgia has not been “used in any way” to circumvent sanctions imposed by the international community against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Saturday while evaluating the 10th package of sanctions against Russia approved by the European Union.