Ukrainian Foreign Ministry: Georgian government does not see its true enemy

Ukraine Foreign Ministry on Garibashvili

According to Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko, the Georgian government is not able to see its true enemy. The translation of Nikolenko’s statement was distributed by the Ukrainian Embassy in Georgia.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s statement follows yesterday’s interview with Georgian Prime Minister Garibashvili, who said Volodymyr Zelensky wants “something to happen here [in Georgia].” The Prime Minister also called Klitschko, Feygin and David Arakhamia “losers”.

“You mentioned Zelensky’s call. When a person who is now at war comes out and responds to a destructive action that is being carried out here in Georgia, this is direct evidence that this person is involved, he is motivated for something to happen here.

Klitschko came out, Feygin came out, some incomprehensible people came out, Arakhamia and some vile losers who say that changes are needed and some kind of scenarios are needed, a coup and … this is direct interference in the internal politics of another country. I want to wish everyone success, a timely end to this war, and peace. And I want to wish unity to the country, but take care of yourself and take care of the country – that’s what I want to say to everyone,” Gharibashvili said.

According to Nikolenko, in recent days the Prime Minister of Georgia and the leadership of the parliament have made a number of unfriendly statements regarding Ukraine.

As the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains, the Georgian authorities repeated Russian propaganda almost verbatim. Also, Nikolenko continues, representatives of the Georgian government accused Ukraine of preparing a coup d’état in Georgia, dragging it into a war with Russia and sending forces to unleash a civil war:

“We categorically reject such insinuations that have nothing to do with reality. The Georgian government is not seeing its true enemy.

We are confident that the statements of Georgian politicians cannot shake the close friendly relations between the Ukrainian and Georgian peoples. We really appreciate the support of Georgians at a time when Ukrainians are fighting for independence. On the other hand, Ukraine has been and will remain a friend of the Georgian people,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

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On March 7, the bill “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” was adopted by the parliament in the first reading by 76 votes against 13.

Then, according to the procedure, both bills were sent to the Venice Commission.

The process was accompanied by rallies on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. After the adoption of the bill in the first reading, the protest swelled to many thousands. Authorities twice dispersed tens of thousands of people with tear gas and water cannons.

All organizations and politicians, both in Georgia and abroad, call this bill a Russian model and say that its adoption will be a huge obstacle for the country on its way to the European Union.

Then on March 9, the ruling party said it was withdrawing the bill. On March 10, during the second reading in Parliament, the majority voted to reject it. This time 35 deputies voted against, one supported.

One of the authors of the bill, Dmitry Khundadze, said that by not adopting this law, Georgian society “missed an opportunity.”

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The parliamentary majority rejected the widely-abhorred “Russian law” on foreign agents in its second reading.

Dmitry Khundadze, one of the authors of the bill, says that by not passing this law, society “missed an opportunity.” On the morning of March 9, the ruling Georgian Dream party announced the withdrawal of the Russian draft law on the transparency of foreign influence.