Georgian FM claims country’s France Ambassador “insulted state, office” in response to resignation

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday responded to the resignation of Gocha Javakhishvili, the country’s Ambassador to France, amid protests in Georgia around the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, by claiming the diplomat had “insulted both the state, the foreign office, and each dignified diplomat”.

Javakhishvili on Thursday said the situation created with the country’s “friends and foreign partners” by the controversy around the bill since its reintroduction by the ruling Georgian Dream party had made his diplomatic mission “extremely difficult”.

Darchiashvili claimed Javakhishvili had made the statement on his resignation “within hours of suspension of his powers”.

With this statement, Gocha Javakhishvili, wittingly or unwittingly, insulted the state, the Ministry in which he served for many years, as well as each dignified diplomat who faithfully serves the interests of the Georgian state”, he said.

Darchiashvili stressed Javakhishvili “should understand the efforts” the foreign office had made to ensure Georgia's European future “the best”.

The top Georgian diplomat also noted employees of his Ministry had “made an immeasurable contribution to the irreversibility of Georgia's European future” and would “surely accomplish” the process of the country’s integration into the European Union.