Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker: certain forces seeking to install Gov’t that follows external orders, not national interests

Giorgi Kakhiani, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday claimed that certain external forces were seeking to bring to power leaders in Georgia who would prioritise foreign directives over the country's national interests.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kakhiani warned of attempts by unspecified forces to influence Georgia’s political trajectory.

“We clearly know what needs to be done. First and foremost, that means protecting our country’s national interests, and naturally, we will not deviate from this path. Secondly, it means European Union integration, which is reflected in the implementation of obligations under the Association Agreement. The EU Ambassador made a statement that the [European integration] process has been suspended. I don’t know if that’s really their stance. For Georgia to become an EU member, the commitments under the Association Agreement must be fulfilled, and this is happening on a daily basis. I would like to see appropriate recognition of these efforts”, Kakhiani said.

He expressed scepticism about recent statements suggesting a suspension of the European integration process and criticised what he described as unjustified demands - such as calls for snap elections, the release of former imprisoned President Mikheil Saakashvili, and the repeal of laws related to LGBT “propaganda”.

“The attitudes of various countries towards Georgia appear to be attempts to somehow influence the Government and its actions. Honestly, no one can explain why this is happening. If we analyse and recall the background, they say snap elections must be held. But why, when the last elections were legitimate? Everyone knows they weren’t falsified - including the European Union - and yet they still demand snap elections. In their resolutions, they write that Saakashvili must be released from serving his sentence. They also demand the repeal of the law concerning LGBT propaganda”, he noted.

“If we delve deeper, there is no real reason for such an attitude towards the Georgian Government. There is only one explanation - and apparently, the process continues - that certain forces are trying to ensure that the Government is not led by those who protect national interests, but by those who will follow instructions coming from outside”, Kakhiani concluded.