Opposition Summons Foreign Minister to Parliament
Parliamentary minority European Georgia has summoned Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze to the legislative body, to give explanations regarding foreign issues and threats.
European Georgia is demanding to know why the Government of Georgia has not responded to the offer of Ukraine to join sanctions against Russia, which has occupied 20% of Georgian territories.
The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, suggested Georgia join existing sanctions against the Russian Federation, saying the Georgian component of the Russian-occupied South Ossetia and Abkhazia could be added to the process.
Poroshenko made the statement while meeting Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze in Kyiv, late January.
The Ukrainian President’s Administration reports that Poroshenko emphasized the mechanism of sanctions against Russia had been improved and the Georgian party was welcome to join the process.
“This will help us to draw greater attention [to the issue] and to stimulate Europe to continue sanctions against Russia,” Poroshenko told Kobakhidze.
European Georgia member Sergi Kapanadze slammed the Georgian government for not giving a positive response to friendly state Ukraine.
Kapanadze demands explanations from Janelidze as to why Georgia has not joined the sanctions against the occupant neighbor.
“Georgia is avoiding answering Ukraine’s offer regarding the sanctions. We also see that the government has not joined the EU and US sanctions against Russia. The ruling party must explain to the public why not,” Kapanadze said.
The MP also calls on the Foreign Minister to speak out about the anti-occupation policy the government is carrying out against Russia, noting that a few days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified a “military deal” with Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia, which envisages incorporation of the de facto Ossetian army into the Russian forces.
“After the ratification of this “deal,” Russia has taken real steps towards the annexation of Georgian territories. We request the Foreign Minister give explanations regarding this issue,” Kapanadze added.
On February 5, the Kremlin website released information that Putin had signed off a law on the ratification of the so called military deal with Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia.
The “deal,” signed in Moscow on March 31, 2017, was passed by Russia's State Duma on January 24, 2018, and approved by the Federation Council on January 31, 2018.
The explanatory note to the law says that the accession of the units into the armed forces of the Russian Federation means enrollment of citizens of South Ossetia for service as part of the Russian 4th military base in occupied South Ossetia under contract, on a voluntary basis.
Upon concluding such a contract, a citizen must be discharged from military service in the de facto South Ossetian armed forces and his further active duty will be regulated by the Russian legislation.
The Russian Federation has a similar “agreement” with Georgia’s other breakaway region – Abkhazia.
Thea Morrison