President apologizes families of Russian aggression victims, slams anti-western campaign in her Independence Day speech

President apologizes families of Russian aggression victims, slams anti-western campaign in her Independence Day speech

Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Friday apologized the families of Giorgi Antsukhelidze and Giga Otkhozoria - killed by the Russian occupation forces - for the “insult” they and the “entire Georgia” had faced over the past several days by the current Government's acceptance of resumed direct flights and lifting of visa regime with Russia, following the Kremlin’s move on May 10 to remove the bans. 

 

In her messages the president also condemned the government’s rhetoric on the (west’s) attempts to drag Georgia into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and demonizing the European Union and the United States in the public eye through portraying them as “introducers of depravity”. 

 

“It is incomprehensible when you blame Europe and America for everything - the attempt to open a second front, the taking away of Georgianness, depravity -  and yet you allow your own children to live in Europe and America, and in Georgia, you destroy the European future of the new generation. Today is the day when we should think about all this, look for a solution and regain hope for the future”, Zourabichvili said. 

 

She also criticized the authorities for letting the sanctioned relatives of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov into the country earlier this month that caused turmoil and attacks of civil activists and opposition representatives with law enforcement officers. 

 

“The government is tasked with prevention, not testing the patience of its own people. The government is responsible for protecting the territory and managing the border - you need to know who enters and who leaves the country, it is hard to believe that members of the highest political circle of the occupying country would enter the country without prior warnings and security guarantees”, Zourabichvili said. 

 

The president also said the Georgian people had “many times reaffirmed” its choice for the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration. 

 

“The public has spoken and expressed its will - Georgia must continue on the path of strengthening and smoothing its independence, establishing European democracy and joining the European family - today, when the Georgian people are still on this path and demand the implementation of their will, where is the government?” Zourabichvili asked. 

 

On the other hand, she highlighted it was “unclear why no measures and fair regulations” had been adopted for the mass arrivals from Russia and their activities on the backdrop of Moscow’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, and the continued occupation of 20 percent of the Georgian territory. 

 

She stressed the government’s stance that the resumed Russia-Georgia flights would benefit the domestic economy was also “insulting”.





Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Friday apologized the families of Giorgi Antsukhelidze and Giga Otkhozoria - killed by the Russian occupation forces - for the “insult” they and the “entire Georgia” had faced over the past several days by the current Government's acceptance of resumed direct flights and lifting of visa regime with Russia, following the Kremlin’s move on May 10 to remove the bans. 

 

In her messages the president also condemned the government’s rhetoric on the (west’s) attempts to drag Georgia into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and demonizing the European Union and the United States in the public eye through portraying them as “introducers of depravity”. 

 

“It is incomprehensible when you blame Europe and America for everything - the attempt to open a second front, the taking away of Georgianness, depravity -  and yet you allow your own children to live in Europe and America, and in Georgia, you destroy the European future of the new generation. Today is the day when we should think about all this, look for a solution and regain hope for the future”, Zourabichvili said. 

 

She also criticized the authorities for letting the sanctioned relatives of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov into the country earlier this month that caused turmoil and attacks of civil activists and opposition representatives with law enforcement officers. 

 

“The government is tasked with prevention, not testing the patience of its own people. The government is responsible for protecting the territory and managing the border - you need to know who enters and who leaves the country, it is hard to believe that members of the highest political circle of the occupying country would enter the country without prior warnings and security guarantees”, Zourabichvili said. 

 

The president also said the Georgian people had “many times reaffirmed” its choice for the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration. 

 

“The public has spoken and expressed its will - Georgia must continue on the path of strengthening and smoothing its independence, establishing European democracy and joining the European family - today, when the Georgian people are still on this path and demand the implementation of their will, where is the government?” Zourabichvili asked. 

 

On the other hand, she highlighted it was “unclear why no measures and fair regulations” had been adopted for the mass arrivals from Russia and their activities on the backdrop of Moscow’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, and the continued occupation of 20 percent of the Georgian territory. 

 

She stressed the government’s stance that the resumed Russia-Georgia flights would benefit the domestic economy was also “insulting”.