NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Security Affairs James Appathurai has expressed concern about the political polarization in Georgia and says that reforms must continue in a message which he conveyed to the deputies of the Georgian parliament during his visit to Georgia.
“The message is not a secret, it is simple – reforms must continue. We are concerned that political polarization is hindering some reforms,” Appathurai said.
The NATO Science for Peace and Security Program is the focus of his visit. The program is a mechanism for dialogue and cooperation between NATO and its partner countries, the purpose of which is cooperation in the field of civil science and innovation in line with NATO’s strategic goals. According to the media, Appathurai will meet with the leaders of the Georgian government.
Appathurai is visiting Tbilisi amid recent concerns voiced by NATO. On April 5 Javier Kolomina, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative in Georgia, said there are concerns about the pace and level of reforms in Georgia.
As Kolomina said in an interview with the Formula TV channel, it is important for the government to carry out reforms that will ultimately affect depolarization. He also noted that the fulfilment of reforms is the responsibility of both the government and the opposition.
“It is important that all political forces understand that they need to unite and work together. They are united when we talk about Euro-Atlantic integration, which is very good, but when it is necessary to carry out reforms for the sake of this aspiration, there is no unity between the opposition and the government. I think it’s a shared responsibility. Both the authorities and the opposition must do more, this will be fundamentally important for all reforms,” Kolomina said.
