Georgian diplomats send false information abroad, UNM MP claims
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, October 30
Giorgi Kandelaki, one of the leaders of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, has stated that Georgian diplomats and embassy employees, are forced to send fake documents to Georgia's international partners.
As proof, he presented three documents obtained by the Diplomats’ Club NGO to the media.
In particular, the materials concerned the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s statement on the recently-released torture videos (which had been filmed during the tenure of the UNM government), the government’s comments on the Rustavi 2 Case and the majority MP Gogi Topadze’s statement over the possible closure of the private broadcaster, which had been sent to foreign partners.
"I think this is a tragic example of how Ivanishvili’s (the founder of the Georgian Dream coalition, former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili) regime destroys institutions, as has obviously happened to the Foreign Ministry in this case. Our diplomats and embassy employees are forced to send fake documents to our partners in order to mislead them,” Kandelaki said.
He called on the government to stop abusing diplomacy for their party interests, as they damage the European future of Georgia.
Members of the Diplomats’ Club also made the statement, saying that Georgian diplomats were sending letters to international structures criticizing the European People’s Party (EPP), which is allied with the UNM party.
The club members stressed that such actions would damage the country’s image.
In response, Gia Volski, a member of majority, dismissed the statements, claiming that the Georgian embassies and diplomatic representatives have done their jobs appropriately.
“The members of the Diplomats’ Club are under the influence of the UNM, they are affiliated with that political party and their statements are politicized,” Volski stressed.
