Ruling Party, Opposition on President Zurabishvili’s PACE Address
President Salome Zurabishvili’s address to the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on January 28 triggered mixed reactions in Tbilisi. Civil.ge offers you a compilation of these assessments.
Ruling party assessments
Archil Talakvadze, Parliament Speaker: “President Zurabishvili touched upon very important issues in her speech, among others territorial integrity, institutional reforms implemented in Georgia, Georgia’s European choice and foreign political course as well as human rights. I would say that she spoke about all important issues of [national] importance. I do not think that it is correct on my part to make interpretations on her concrete quotes. As for my general assessment, I have already noted that she spoke about all important issues, called on the international community for stronger support and expressed readiness for more cooperation under Georgia’s presidency.”
Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream: “She spoke comprehensively about all important issues. Very interesting questions were asked to the President and very interesting answers were given. Let me reiterate, all key issues were outlined in the President’s address. Thus, any speculations by the opposition are absolutely groundless.”
Opposition assessments
MP Salome Samadashvili, the United National Movement: “Her statements were shocking, because she had an opportunity to once again raise the issue of occupation in the context of Gavrilov’s visit and instead, she actually took Gavrilov’s side against Georgian people… The agenda of the incumbent government and Salome Zurabishvili is to create as much comfort to Russia as possible, including on international arena.”
MP Davit Bakradze, European Georgia: “I have no special expectations towards Zurabishvili’s address, but she again managed to frustrate my expectations. I will say nothing about those lies which we heard once again. For example, about judicial independence, election environment, media and minorities…She recollected about occupation only on the 40th minute of her address… I have listened to tens of presidents and prime ministers from this rostrum and it was the first case when the head of state was rebuked in connection with the form and duration of her speech.”
Davit Berdzenishvili, Republican Party: “A person, who is appointed and works as the President of Georgia constantly manages to ‘astonish’ us. Each of her addresses inside the country are alarming, [while her speeches] outside the country [are] catastrophic… I can hardly recollect such useless and harm[ful] politician.”
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