Ruling Georgian Dream party accuses President Zurabishvili of disrupting Georgia's EU accession

Ruling party accuses Georgian President of disrupting Georgia’s EU accession

“The President of Georgia repeats the messages of the radical opposition, primarily the United National Movement [the party created by the imprisoned ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili]”, Irakli Kobakhidze, leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said in a statement.

His special briefing on June 16 came as a response to President Salome Zurabishvili’s speech the day before.

The president accused the government of anti-Western rhetoric, insulting MEPs, friends and allies, disrupting international visits and misleading the public, including falsely citing the so-called “second front”.

With this speech, the President summed up her visits to Europe and America. Zurabishvili said that Georgia still has a small but real chance on its way to the European Union, but “a lot has already been spoiled”.

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Kobakhidze stated that Salome Zurabishvili contradicts herself:

“She confirms that the radical opposition acted against the state, [giving false information] to Brussels. But then she publicly repeats the lies on which the anti-state campaign of the United National Movement and its satellites is built.

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“A week before the decision on the EU candidate status, the president says that in July last year Georgia was in first place [in terms of democracy] compared to Ukraine and Moldova, and now it is in last place. Thus, Salome Zurabishvili actually disrupts the granting of this status to Georgia”.

“If we imposed sanctions against Russia and sent a plane with volunteers to Ukraine, this would open a second front. But it is Russian army that is stationed 40 kilometers from Tbilisi, not NATO’s”.

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“Salome Zurabishvili can go ahead and greet those who demanded the adoption of just these measures”, said the leader of the ruling party.

He stated that Georgian Dream would not take part in the June 16 rally announced by the president and called this initiative “frivolous.”

Georgian Dream states that “85% of the population of Georgia supports European integration, and this mood will only be weakened by this unprepared rally”.