US should consider its Ambassador shouldn’t make “destabilizing statements” – ruling party MP

Gia Volski, the ruling Georgian Dream party MP, on Friday said the United States “should take into account that its Ambassador should not make destabilizing statements”, in comments on the remarks by outgoing Ambassador Kelly Degnan on planned electronic elections in the country and claims on “deliberately undermining” of Georgia’s European Union integration. 

 

In her comments earlier this week, Degnan questioned the effectiveness of electronic elections the ruling party plans to introduce for the 2024 Parliamentary elections. Responding to the allegations by the fellow GD MP Irakli Zarkua that she had “failed as an Ambassador” and had been involved in “sparking revolutionary waves”, the diplomat claimed she had not taken it personally, but pointed to a “targeted campaign” against Georgia’s EU integration. 

 

“A number of statements that came from the US Embassy and the Ambassador do not suit the bilateral relations. Bilateral relations date back many decades and have developed quite dynamically over the years”, Volski said. 

 

He noted “I am not criticizing anyone’s heroism, but many Georgians have lost their lives while combating international terrorism and organized crime side by side with the Americans, we should always remember this”. 

 

Volski also highlighted Georgia was the US’ “reliable partner” in the region and its Ambassador should not be engaged in “making destabilizing comments”.