Tbilisi in political battle for Ukraine

Unlike the government, the opposition wants a parliamentary resolution condemning Russia's aggressive policy as well as supporting Kiev. The executive wants to follow a less confrontational line towards Moscow.

Moscow (AsiaNews) -The Georgian opposition continues to fight over the draft parliamentary resolution in support of Ukraine, threatened with invasion by Russia. The opposition has begun collecting signatures to modify the text to be approved. Unlike the text prepared by the majority Georgian Dream party, the resolution seeks to add an explicit condemnation of Russia's "aggressive policy".

Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani spoke on behalf of the majority, arguing that the Georgian authorities should adhere to diplomatic standards. Among the opposition parties most active in collecting signatures is Droa ('It's time').

Leader Elena Khoštarija says the opposition realises that 'the risk of invasion also threatens Georgia, while our government says nothing about the problems that Russia has been creating for a long time for our country, Ukraine and the whole world'. Khoštarija notes that the whole world is mobilising to defend nations like Georgia, and that "the silence of power" in her opinion is a "historical shame".

For the government, on the other hand, the behaviour of the oppositions, starting with the former ruling National Movement party, founded by the imprisoned president Mikhail Saakashvili, seems shameful. The deputies of the Georgian Dream repeat that they do not accept criticism from those who lost territories in the 2008 war with Russia, as one of them, Aluda Gudušauri, says: "We have not heard any serious arguments from our opponents, only political chatter."

Gudušauri adds that "the [government] resolution is written according to the criteria of diplomacy, and it is not acceptable for this to be questioned by those who when in government lost not only territories, but also the lives of many of our heroes."

Zalkaliani also wished to point out in an interview with Palitra News that while respecting diplomacy one can also criticise Russia when necessary, and that Georgia is considering the possibility of evacuating some Georgian diplomats from Kiev, as Washington has already done.

"I spoke about this with my Ukrainian colleague Dmitrij Kuleba," explained the Tbilisi foreign minister, "and I assured him that our embassy in Kiev will continue to work at full capacity, in constant relations with all Ukrainian institutions. We stand by our Western partners, and we will ask Russia to demonstrate with facts that it has no intention of invading Ukraine".

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went on to say that "as far as the Russian Federation is concerned, there will be no war. We do not want war, but we will not allow our interests to be ignored and trampled underfoot'. The President of the Republic of Georgia, Salome Zurabišvili, also met with journalists and expressed the hope that "Russia will not resort to aggression, as it did in its time with Georgia". 

• georgia
• ukraine
• russia
• invasion
• war
• majority
• opposition