Georgian Parliament Speaker highlights Gov’t actions “in interest of citizens” in response to Russian official

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said the country's Government was “acting in the interest of Georgian citizens” and was not under “pressure, blackmail or statements from officials of any other country”, after Grigory Karasin, the Head of the International Affairs Committee of the Council of the Russian Federation, on Monday said a comment by the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze about reintegration of the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions and the country's plans to join the European Union in 2030 was “mere speculation”.

Papuashvili said “maintaining peace in the country and increasing economic prosperity” were the “main objectives for achieving these important national goals”.

For two years, internal and external war parties pushed us to enter into a spiral of confrontation with Russia - be it through [demands to impose] sanctions, sending fighters [to Ukraine] or other means. [...] [But] we did not go for it, because our goal is peace in this country, because without this we can forget about the restoration of territorial integrity, and not only that, they might even make us to forget the [Georgian] state itself if we follow the incitements of some groups”, he alleged.

The lawmaker stressed reunification of the country was the “primary national goal” of the Government. 

Kobakhidze on Sunday marked the country’s Independence Day celebrations by saying that “[everyone’s] Georgian dream is to live in a united and strong” Georgia, together with “our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers and sisters”, and to become a full-fledged member of the European family in 2030 - 40 years after the restoration of the country’s independence.