Parliament Vice Speaker highlights “reality” that USAID “was not assisting states, but was engaged in damaging them”

Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament and Chair of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament that examines alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement Government between 2003 and 2012, on Wednesday claimed the reality was that USAID “was not assisting states, but was engaged in damaging them”.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Tsulukiani noted that “the reality is that if nations are to be partners, their relationships must be built on trust and mutual respect”.

“Traditionally, this has always been the case. Regardless of whether Europe likes it or not, the United States sets global trends, as some would say. Today, we see that the trend is aligning as closely as possible with reality. The reality is that USAID was not assisting states, but was engaged in damaging them, that Western organisations, backed by certain forces, were interfering harmfully in the internal affairs of multiple countries, and that such a situation can no longer continue. If we are to be true partners, our relationships must be built on trust and respect”, the official said.

“It is clear that in such a relationship, we always consider each other’s interests. We took their interests into account, but when it became evident that the real goal was not mutual respect but to overthrow and betray us while trampling on the interests of the Georgian people, we took a stand. We refused to allow our country to become a territory used for war”, Tsulukiani concluded.