If US suspends or reduces aid, it will be a huge blow on Georgia – opposition leader

If the United States reduces or suspends its aid, it will be a huge blow on Georgia. If the Georgian authorities refuse to change its policy, then the government must be changed”, Gigi Tsereteli, the chairman of the Political Council of European Georgia opposition party told Front News on Thursday, in response to US Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s comments over “backsliding” of Georgian democracy. 

“The current Georgian  authorities and the Belarussian government are making similar statements over the West ”,  said the politician. 

“The fact that the issue of Georgia was raised so acutely in the US Senate was not unexpected and surprising. There was a previous warning about this and we also said that there is nothing unconditional, and that the country would feel it in aid and everything. 

“The public remembers when the current authorities refused 75 million euros [in loans] from Europe due to the suspension of a specific reform and claimed that they did not need the money. Very rude, unflattering statements are being made to emphasize once again that if there is no Western support, Russia will be there. There is no other choice, we cannot be with China, nor with other big countries, either we are with Europe and the US, or with Russia”, Tsereteli said. 

He stated that the current policy of the Georgian Dream could lead to “devastating results” for the country and that is why it was “mandatory” to replace it.