PM highlights importance of maintaining peace, stability in country

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted his Government was “interested” in maintaining “peace and stability” in the country.

In his remarks at a panel discussion at the Paris Peace Forum, Garibashvili noted his Government was “convinced” to be able to achieve the deoccupation of the country’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) “step by step”, with “hard work and wise policy”, and further pointed out that the development was the "only choice" available to the country.

Over the past 10 years, we did not take any actions at the expense of our national interests, sovereignty, or territorial integrity. We do everything for our people. We do everything in the best interests of our citizens and the future [of our country]”, Garibashvili told the audience.

The head of the Government noted that the wars and conflicts had broken out in the country under “all [previous] Governments”, but the ruling Georgian Dream party had managed to achieve “continuous and unprecedented peace and stability”, and further pointed out that the outcome was “the only period the country has not had a war or experienced territorial loss”.

“We have chosen a policy of strategic patience. There are matters that we cannot solve immediately, we need patience, a long-term strategy, an action plan, and we must follow it, we must be consistent”, he concluded.