Ruling Party, Opposition Assess President’s UNGA Speech

The address by Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili at the General Debate of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) triggered mixed reactions from the ruling party and opposition politicians. Below is a compilation of these assessments.

Ruling party assessments

Tea Tsulukiani, Justice Minister: “She paid appropriate attention to massive and inconceivable human rights violations taking place along the occupation line on a daily basis. She informed the world from the high rostrum in what conditions our citizens have to live along the occupation line… if opponents want to count how many times the President mentioned Russia, [I can say that] she spoke about Russia, as an occupying state; therefore, I think that she voiced very important messages.”

Dimitri Khundadze, Georgian Dream: “Important messages were made – Georgia’s peace policy, European integration, foreign policy course, reforms, but to say the truth, more scrupulousness was needed in respect of the issue of occupation.”

Irakli Sesiashvili, Georgian Dream: “I probably wanted to hear more from Salome Zurabishvili, when the question is about our country’s interests. But still, I think that she voiced all main messages, which should be voiced from this rostrum.”

Opposition assessments

Roman Gotsiridze, United National Movement: “It is very regretful that this huge international rostrum could not be used and will not be used under this government and this President. We will bring the process related to pardoning scandal to the end and sooner or later, the issue of her impeachment will be raised.”

Giga Bokeria, European Georgia: “She has not clearly talked about ethnic cleansing; she did not use this rostrum to talk about specific humanitarian problems, for example, about Giga Otkhozoria’s murder. The representatives of those countries, who are covering up the murderer, were also sitting in the chamber. Such rostrums are used for a pressure. She had no vision and she did not say anything about what Georgia wants from the free world. She said that she wants a dialogue with Russia. Yes, we all want this dialogue, but she left an impression that yes, problems do persist, but as a whole, the situation is not dramatic and Russia does not represent a threat to Georgia’s freedom, Euro-Atlantic security and generally to the free world, but there are simply some problems. Naturally, it is yet another example to prove that election results bring certain results for the country and responsibility should be laid on Ivanishvili and the entire team, who, including through illegal methods, imposed this harmful President on the country.”

Eka Beselia, independent lawmaker: “She focused on occupation, encroachment of territorial integrity, human rights violations and one cannot say that the President did not mention that Georgia is occupied and that Russia has occupied our territories. So, she touched upon all the problems faced by Georgia today.”

Nino Goguadze, Free Democtats: “The Georgian President’s address at this important international forum was not the address suitable for the President of the occupied country. She failed to use this rostrum for talking about the problems persisting in Georgia. She said nothing about gradual grabbing of Georgia’s lands. It was the speech agreed with the Georgian Dream government, where nothing unnecessary should have been said and Russia, particularly Vladimir Putin, should not have been irritated.”  

Tamar Kordzaia, Republican Party: “She did not focus on the fact that Russia is the main problem of our country and that Russia is hampering the development of all those issues, about which she spoke as global problems. Therefore, I think that her speech was weak, because it did not show Georgia’s position towards Russia, especially when the entire world speaks of Russia as a problem.” 

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