Health minister and medical team leave for Ukraine
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, August 27
Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Davit Sergeenko is leaving for Ukraine on August 27 along with several Georgian doctors. Head of the Emergency Service Department of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs Zurab Utiashvili will arrive in Kiev along with the minister.
"All this time we have been in constant communication and have offered support to the Ukrainian Health Minister. At this stage, it was decided that several of our specialists would travel to the country and determine what actions need to be taken once we are briefed on the situation,” Segeenko said, adding that the Georgian delegation would begin work soon after they arrive.
The decision was praised by Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili. The PM emphasized that Georgia would be glad to assist Ukraine.
“Members of the tax office and investigative departments of the Ukrainian Finance Ministry are visiting Georgia, and they will work with us for four days. They will mostly be in Adjara and will get acquainted with our working methodology,” Minister of Finance Nodar Khaduri said. The delegation will stay until August 30.
The opposition United National Movement criticized the government for providing “partial support” to Ukraine. Giga Bokeria, from the United National Movement stressed that the Georgian Dream government goes to great pains not to irritate Russia. He claims that this unreasonable policy will result in negative outcomes for Georgia in terms of the country’s de-occupation intentions and relations with its foreign allies.
Professor Kornely Kakachia told The Messenger that unlike the previous government, the current government does not have deep ties with Ukraine.
“Currently, we have no strategic vision concerning Ukraine, when the previous government was even involved in the Ukraine’s domestic issues,” Kakachia said.
The analyst also believes that the current government’s position in view of developments in Ukraine is passive.
“The Georgian Dream government is trying not to strain relations with Russia. The statements that are being made by Georgian officials regarding Ukraine are based on the current government’s strategy towards Russia. Of course, we should not shout and cut links with Russia. However, Georgia should express more diplomatic support to Ukraine,” the analyst said.
Fellow analyst Khatuna Lagazidze told The Messenger that the government has changed its statements to Ukraine over the last several days. According to her, the change might have been related to Prime Minister Gharibashvili’s and Joseph Biden’s recent telephone conversation.
“Now the government openly speaks about providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, “Lagazidze said.
She says that the current government’s statements towards Ukraine should also be described in the context of world policy.
“At present, the world’s fate is being decided in Iraq and Syria. ISIS creates danger for a large portion of the world, the United States and Russia among them. There is a need to unite Russia and the rest of the world against the threat,” she said.
