Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Saturday emphasised the opposition United National Movement party’s Maidan-inspired scenario, in reference to large public protests in Kyiv back in 2013-2014 resulting in the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine, would not take place in the country, agenda.ge reports.
Kobakhidze’s comments came after public protests had been held outside the country’s Parliament in the capital Tbilisi and other cities across Georgia following the Government’s decision to suspend the European Union accession talks until 2028.
At a press conference held at the Government Administration, the PM alleged the “primary responsibility” for Friday’s “violent” protest that led to the arrest of 107 individuals for “disobedience to police orders” and “petty hooliganism” rested with “certain European politicians, bureaucrats and the local foreign agents, the fifth column represented by the four opposition political parties [the UNM, Ahali, Lelo, and Gakharia For Georgia]”.
“For three years now, particular European politicians and bureaucrats, who failed to achieve the Ukrainisation of Georgia, have constantly attempted to use the issue of candidate status [for the EU membership] and the opening of negotiations to weaken the country, foster the so-called polarisation in Georgia, and artificially fracture society”, the PM noted, reminding the society those topics were “used as key instruments to damage the country’s image and divide society”.
“The radicals and their foreign patrons continuously seek to invent pretexts for disrupting the country and Ukrainisation of Georgia”, he said.
The head of the Government noted “those forces still fail to comprehend that unlike Ukraine in 2013, Georgia is an independent state with strong institutions and, most importantly, an experienced and wise people whose resilience cannot be shaken”, adding the Maidan scenario could not be carried out in Georgia, as “Georgia is a sovereign state and the Georgian Government will not allow this”.
