Govt messages “confusing” over Popular Force undermining ties – US Ambassador Degnan

US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said on Wednesday that the messages coming from the ruling Georgian Dream party over its connection with a Popular Force, a movement created by former MPs of the GD who had made a number of anti-western and anti – US statements since June, adding five more MPs from the ruling party on Tuesday. 

The Ambassador said that she did not want to comment on current Georgian political developments, noting that the Georgian public was able to see what was going on.  

“We have noted that there is a confusing message coming from the government about the connection with those who undermine the partnership between Georgia and the US, and on the other hand statements from the Prime Minister of Georgia and other individuals about the importance of the partnership between the US and Georgia and other strategic partners”,  noted the ambassador.

She stressed that “there is a lot of misinformation and conspiracy theories, but the truth is that the United States has been helping Georgia develop for 30 years on”. 

The Popular force was initially founded by three MPs who said they quitted the ruling party in a bid  to “tell the public the truth”, accusing the US Embassy of backing “radical forces” in Georgia, “dragging Georgia into Russia’s war in Ukraine” and exerting pressure on a judge, with Degnan responding the “unfounded allegations” were from the Russian propaganda book. 

By adding five more MPs from the ruling party on Tuesday, the movement is currently represented by nine legislators in parliament, leaving the ruling party without the majority. 

Now the ruling party, which has 75 MPs in the 150-member state legislature, will have to cooperate with its former MPs to pass legislation with both sides expressing readiness for this.