Laura Thornton says campaign against Kelly Degnan is 'outrageous' and 'damaging' for Georgia
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, August 22, 2022
The former director of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Georgia, Laura Thornton, in an interview with Voice of America said that the campaign directed against US Ambassador Kelly Degnan by the Georgian government is outrageous and damaging.
According to Thornton, it is not clear to her "why you should criticize those with whom you are going to be with". She also added that thanks to such actions the impression is already created that the Georgian government does not want NATO and EU membership.
"To put it bluntly, this [campaign against Ambassador Degnan] is outrageous. I think that this is outrageous and damaging for Georgia. America will be fine, but Georgia - not. It's not just members of a particular parliament, it's been going on for a long time. Criticism was addressed to the EU ambassador, European parliamentarians, America, from [Irakli] Kobakhidze and others.
I don't understand why you should criticize those you are going to be with. If in theory your foreign policy goal is to be a member of NATO and the European Union, why are they biting the same hand that feeds you? It doesn't fit into anything, I don't understand why they do it. That's why people come to the conclusion that maybe they [the Georgian government] don't want to be members of NATO, the European Union," says Thornton.
Thornton also responded to recent statements made by four deputies who allegedly formally left the Georgian Dream. According to her, this kind of campaign of voicing "critical, acute views" is absurd to her.
"They do it to themselves. Creating a campaign where there are 4 members of the parliament who are not officially members of the Georgian Dream and, so to speak, are allowed to express such [critical, acute] views is completely absurd for me," says Laura Thornton.
According to the former head of NDI in Georgia, the Georgian government is now standing at a crossroads and must choose between protection of Bidzina Ivanishvili and western orientation. Thornton said that now the government has to decide whether to comply with the EU's call for de-oligarchization or not.
"I think that the government is standing at a crossroads, where they have to decide what is more important to them - maintaining power and protecting Bidzina Ivanishvili, or their goals of Western orientation and democracy. I don't think they could do both.
When the European Union called [Georgia] for de-oligarchization, it sorted everything out and now is the time to make a decision. However, I don't know what the government will decide," Thornton told the interviewer.
According to Laura Thornton, the USA is Georgia's closest ally, and the ruling party's criticism of a partner that has been supporting Georgia for 30 years creates the impression that the country has changed its course.
"...I'm confused. You criticize [Western partners], saying that the United States of America has abandoned Georgia for the past 30 years, when in fact, America is one of Georgia's closest allies and has given resources, attention and support to this country. So when we hear that kind of criticism, then we think, "Well, they've changed the course."
When you publicly criticize such an ally like this, I begin to think that changes in foreign policy are beginning. If there is any other explanation, any other reason why they are doing this, then I cannot understand it," he said.
Laura Thornton says she wants to believe that "the country still has pro-Western values" but thinks that everything that the Georgian government is doing proves the opposite.
