PM says sanctions “are not serious topic”, it’s “impossible to blackmail” Georgian Gov’t, society with “such threats”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday told the media that imposing sanctions on Georgia and the country’s officials was “not a serious topic” and said it was “impossible” to blackmail his Government and “especially the Georgian society with such threats”.

In his comments to the journalists’ questions at a press briefing, Kobakhidze noted that Georgian society had overcome “so much” in the past 30 years that it was “absolutely impossible” to blackmail them, and added Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party and the former PM, was already “under de facto sanctions”, which did not affect the party’s decisions.

When it comes to the interests of the country and the state, no blackmail and threat can make us back down. [...] In this country, [...] people have sacrificed themselves for the independence, for the country's sovereignty, and when someone tries to influence your decision by blackmail, of course, it will not have any effect. I think they don't know Georgian people”, the PM stressed.

Answering the question about the upcoming visit of James O’Brien, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Kobakhidze expressed hope that the conversation with O’Brien would not be about “artificially distancing” Georgia and the United States, “but about rapprochement”.

He pointed out that the “right attitude” towards the Georgian people from its strategic partner - the US would be discussions on launching direct flights, free trade and visa liberalisation, noting that “strategic partnership should be expressed by concrete effective steps”.