Ruling party Sec Gen says Gov’t’s “commitment to friendship” with US will not come “at expense of giving up country's interests”
In his remarks, Kaladze said “specific calls” from “strategic partners” of the country over the law, or for “release of criminals from prison” - in reference to the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili - were “unacceptable”. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the Georgian Government was “ready to review [issues in] relations and friendship” with the United States, but “not at the expense of giving up the country's interests”.
Kaladze’s comments came after the US Department of the Treasury this week sanctioned Zviad Kharazishvili, the Chief of the Georgian Interior Ministry’s Special Task Department, and his Deputy Mileri Lagazauri “for their involvement in serious human rights abuse during the violent response to peaceful protests against the foreign influence law” earlier this year.
In his remarks, Kaladze said “specific calls” from “strategic partners” of the country over the law, or for “release of criminals from prison” - in reference to the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili - were “unacceptable”.
“When it comes to strategic partnership, attempts to mislead [the Georgian public], such as calling the transparency law a ‘Russian law’, or being told to release a criminal, are categorically unacceptable”, he said.
We have stated many times, and we have proven with actions, that the Georgian Government is ready for friendship and cooperation, but this should not happen at the expense of giving up the interests of the country and people”, he concluded.
Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said the Government was seeking “partners and not guardians” on its relations with the United States.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday denounced the sanctions against the law enforcement officials, who he said had fought in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, calling the move “an extreme insult to our state”.
The PM stressed the action was an example of “non-partnerly attitude from a country known not only as a partner but also as a strategic partner” for Georgia, and said the move was "fundamentally unacceptable".