Ruling party Sec Gen condemns “blackmail” against Georgia, hopes for shift in stance

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday responded to recent comments by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, calling them part of an ongoing pattern of political pressure directed at Georgia.

In his remarks, Kaladze noted that the pressure on Georgia had intensified following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and added that the objective behind it was well known.

“The blackmail we’ve been hearing over the past few years and months continues. It’s unfortunate and deeply regrettable, but we hope this attitude will soon change”, Kaladze said.

“This blackmail, especially since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, has become more aggressive. We know what the expectations were - Georgia was being directly urged to open a second front. I won’t name names, but a senior official from one country tried to blackmail us into initiating war against Russia and joining the sanctions. Naturally, we took a principled stance and continue to do so, because our priority is to protect the interests of our country and maintain peace”, the ruling party official continued.

He further expressed hope that the international community’s approach to Georgia would soon shift.

“This kind of pressure is unacceptable and painful. However, we remain hopeful that this attitude will change in the near future. The Georgian Government is open to friendship and partnership - but everyone must understand that Georgia is an independent, sovereign country, and our independence and the will of the Georgian people must be respected”, Kaladze concluded.