Georgian Parliament official: Russophobic remarks intended to undermine Georgia’s economy

Akaki Aladashvili, the First Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Procedural Issues, on Saturday said that Russophobic statements were an attempt to make Russia perceive Georgia as a Russophobic and hostile state, halt economic relations, and cause the country’s economy to collapse.

In his remarks, Aladashvili argued that after the war in Ukraine started, certain actors were instructed to present themselves as anti-Russian and carried out those instructions without hesitation.

“When the war in Ukraine began, they were subsequently instructed to become angry about it and falsely present themselves as anti-Russian. Just as they faithfully carried out instructions aimed at harming other countries, they also began carrying out this instruction without hesitation”, he said.

He drew a parallel between past demands to impose sanctions on Russia and the current Russophobic rhetoric, saying both aim to damage Georgia’s economic ties and overall economic stability.

“What does this Russophobia serve now? Do you remember that when the war began in 2022, there was an attempt to drag us into a war with Russia? There was an attempt to impose economic sanctions on Russia. We should draw a parallel with that, with the demand to impose sanctions”, he noted.

“Similarly, this is an attempt to make Russia perceive us as a Russophobic and hostile state, halt our economic relations, and cause our economy to collapse”, Aladashvili concluded.