Adjara Gov’t Head: authorities’ policy serves national and Georgian people’s interests

Sulkhhan Tamazashvili, Chair of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, on Monday said the Government’s policies were guided by the interests of the country and the Georgian people, stressing that peace and stability remained the public’s clear choice.

Speaking on the television programme Free Space, Tamazashvili said that despite criticism and what he described as insincere attitudes from “Euro-bureaucracy” throughout the year, the authorities would not deviate from their core objective.

“The choice of the Georgian people is peace and stability. The policy of the authorities serves precisely the interests of the country and the Georgian people and there is no external force, nor any attempt at internal political pressure, that will make us change this main goal – preserving peace and stability in the country,” Tamazashvili said.

Commenting on sanctions, Tamazashvili said they had become a common instrument of global politics and were rarely based on objective legal assessments.

“Sanctions should not be a political tool for exerting pressure on people, especially on partners,” he said, adding that he personally did not consider it important whether he himself was sanctioned or not. “What matters to me is the responsibility I have towards my citizens. Together with my team, we will continue to act on these principles and do everything to maintain peace, stability and bring greater prosperity to our people.”

Assessing the events of October 4, Tamazashvili said the state has an obligation to respond immediately when protests cross the line into disorder and chaos.

“We saw throughout the year attempts to move political processes onto the streets and to artificially create fear and chaos in society. However, when a protest or demonstration turns into disorder, the state has a duty to take immediate action and restore public and constitutional order,” he said.

He added that, according to the authorities, no one had been detained for expressing free opinion or political beliefs and that all arrests followed alleged criminal actions.