President: gov’t refused to allow my trips to Europe

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that the Georgian Dream government refused to allow her to visit several European cities which took place shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 

However, Zurabishvili says that she had used ‘personal contacts’ to visit Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Warsaw as the format of the meetings was changed from formal to personal.

 

“I believed that the trip was necessary at that time,” Zurabishvili said.

 

During the trip Zurabishvili was open to criticizing Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and she pushed forward Georgia’s accelerated membership in the EU.

 

The opposition says that the Georgian Dream government and MPs were unhappy with the president’s moves as they ‘refrain from slamming Russia.’

 

Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze says that if Zurabishvili really did so and visited the cities without the consent of the government ‘means that she had violated the state constitution.’

 

“We will look into the issue,” Kobakhidze said.

 

Zurabishvili was the ruling party supported candidate in the presidential elections.