President refutes all accusations raised by gov’t over war, West – ex-Defence Minister Khidasheli

President Salome Zourabichvili refuted all arguments being raised by the Georgian Dream authorities over the “attempts to drag Georgia into the war, or regarding the West” in her briefing on Tuesday, former Defence Minister Tina Khidasheli told Front News on Wednesday.  

She suggested that Zourabichvili made “quite brave comments considering the reality “she had been supported by the ruling Georgian Dream party and its founder Bidzina Ivanishvili as the president of Georgia.” 

“While making assessments, we often forget whom we assess. Sometimes we wish others to speak like civil activists or the opposition. Given that we listened to the President of Georgia, who was nominated by Ivanishvili and the Georgian Dream and became President via their election campaign, I am very pleased with her speech,” Khidasheli said. 

She also approved the President’s call to the public to gather in Tbilisi on June 16 to express support for European integration. 

“The President decided to select a neutral date which would not be connected with any date associated with rally dispersals or other incidents,” Khidasheli said. 

Zourabichvili contradicted the government’s view that some forces were trying to drag the country into Russia’s war in Ukraine. 

She also accused the authorities of being inactive amid the country’s bid for EU membership and making negative comments towards MEPs and European institutions.