Georgia’s Parliament Speaker hails “strategic patience” policy over occupied regions

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday highlighted the importance of the Georgian Dream Government's policy of "strategic patience" over the country’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). 

Speaking at a press briefing, Papuashvili explained the Government aimed to "seize the opportunity for reunification when the time is right” by “maintaining peace” and "avoiding rash actions”. 

This is our highest priority, and all our policies are directed toward this goal. Had we fired a single bullet, as the opposition urged, even along the occupation line, it would have set our progress back by a decade - something the previous United National Movement Governments did repeatedly”, he stressed.

Papuashvili highlighted resolving the occupation required "multiple approaches", which he said included international pressure and a Government strategy to "prevent escalation”. 

He also criticised the opposition and unspecified non-governmental organisations for “pushing the Government” to escalate tensions with Russia, “particularly in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine”, a move he said would have risked “drawing Georgia into direct conflict with Russia”.

Pointing to the presence of Russian troops on Georgian territory, the Parliament Speaker condemned what he described as a "superficial approach" from those demanding “quick solutions” from the Government. 

He also criticised alleged opposition and NGO “calls” in 2022, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, to "use the opportunity [by purchasing weapons] for [forcibly] reclaiming the [occupied] territories”.