PM: “not a single fact” of Georgia used for sanctions evasion has been identified
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said domestic authorities had prevented “1,000 cases” of attempts of evasion of the international sanctions. Photo: Gov't Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said domestic authorities had prevented “1,000 cases” of attempts of evasion of the international sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, with “not a single fact” of their successful circumvention identified in the country.
In his end-of-year report in Tbilisi on the work of the Government, Garibashvili said the authorities “identified all such threats in a timely manner [of] products that were sent from Europe to Russia, and we immediately informed our European colleagues about these attempts”.
He added the Government had “worked as openly and transparently as possible, and we will continue to do so in the future” on the issue, extending his gratitude to Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili and agencies of his office for “timely prevention” of attempts of evasion of the sanctions.
Garibashvili claimed his Government’s decisions were “based on the national interests of our country” and “interests of our people”, and served the goal to avoid “damaging” domestic economic growth, while also ensuring measures against attempts of evasion of sanctions so that “no question has arisen from any of our partner countries”.
[W]e have heard many unfair, baseless accusations [of the territory of Georgia being used for evasion of the sanctions], which have also been disproved during the visit of a high-level delegation a few months ago”, Garibashvili said in reference to the visit of sanction enforcement officials from the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States in June.
The visiting delegation highlighted the Government’s “great job” in preventing circumvention of the sanctions in their assessments.
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- US sanctions official: Georgian Gov’t “has done great job” in preventing sanctions evasion
Garibashvili noted James O'Brien, the Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination in the US and David O’Sullivan, the EU Sanctions Envoy, had “openly, publicly” said they were “satisfied” with the “effective” system in the enforcement of the sanctions created by the Government.
He also said his Government had been coordinating with international partners ”24 hours a day” on the issue, adding the country’s “real supporters” were kept “fully informed” about domestic policies and had “no more questions” regarding the enforcement of the sanctions.
Sanctions officials from the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, who were on a visit to Georgia this week, on Wednesday highlighted they had been “convinced” that the country’s Government was “seriously” determined not to allow the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
James O'Brien, the Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination in the United States, on Wednesday said the Georgian Government had done “a great job” in preventing the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili and sanctions officials from the European Union and the United States on Tuesday reviewed the Georgian Government's assistance to its international partners in the enforcement of financial sanctions imposed against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said “not a single fact” of the international sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine being bypassed through the Georgian territory had been confirmed “even at the level of suspicion”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday claimed his office had averted “gravest adversity for the nation and its citizens” with policies “grounded solely in their interests” over the past year.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday lauded the efforts of the state authorities for ensuring free trade agreements with a diverse range of states, while also commending increased wine exports and expanding internet coverage within the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hailed the granting of the European Union membership candidate status to the country as the “main achievement” of his Government’s foreign policy, calling the result a “great victory, including for our diplomatic corps”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday claimed the country would have avoided the 2008 war with Russia had Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former Prime Minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and the political faction been in power at the time.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the Georgian Government’s policy of not implementing sanctions on Russia had “brought us a stable situation in Georgia”.
Gia Volski, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday claimed a part of the domestic opposition was “unhappy” with the Government's "effective work" that had resulted in absence of evidence suggesting Russia evading international sanctions imposed on it for its invasion of Ukraine through Georgian territory.
Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili on Friday said “many cases” of “disinformation” and “fake news” on enforcement in Georgia of the international sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine had been observed over the past year.
The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance on Thursday said “no specific facts” had been presented by senators Ron Johnson and Richard Blumenthal to the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to confirm claims of violations of international sanctions imposed on Russia through Georgian territory.