Ruling party official: Georgia “not country to be looked down on” after some MEPs call for release of imprisoned ex-President
Kaladze’s comments followed MEP Lars Patrick Berg recently calling for a demonstration of “humanitarian sympathy” towards Saakashvili. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday dismissed calls by some members of the European Parliament for release of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili by saying Georgia was “not a country to be looked down on”.
Kaladze’s comments followed MEP Lars Patrick Berg recently calling for a demonstration of “humanitarian sympathy” towards Saakashvili.
In his response, the Georgian official stressed the Government “should not be told from abroad what decision to make” on the former official.
Georgia is not a country to be looked down on, for some MEPs to call for and give orders on who should be released, who should be detained, and so on”, he said.
“Georgia is not a province of some country. It is an independent, sovereign state. Georgia has a constitution, laws, and the Government acts in accordance with them”, Kaladze added.
He further called the statements related to Saakashvili “political speculation”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday called executive bodies of the European Union to “distance themselves from unfair decisions” in the European Parliament, in response to an amendment introduced by MEP Anna Fotyga to a resolution to urge the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili to pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Thursday said the parliamentary majority would present a legislative initiative to “protect the public from pseudo-liberal ideology”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said the European Union “has to officially distance itself” from “slanderous” allegations made my members of the European Parliament, in response to an amendment introduced by MEP Anna Fotyga to a resolution to urge the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili to pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday warned against attempts of “illegal” change of the Government and interference in the parliamentary elections in October.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday claimed some leaders of the domestic opposition represented a “collective United National Movement” party.
Peter Fischer, the German Ambassador to Georgia, on Tuesday highlighted Georgia’s “significant progress” in rapprochement with the European Union and called for progress in the implementation of the steps outlined by the European Commission for opening accession talks with the country.