PM Gharibashvili accuses opposition of getting 'dividends' while addressing death of Georgian fighters in Ukraine
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of Georgian fighters killed in the war in Ukraine at the government meeting and said that their death is a great loss for Georgia:
"I would like to express my condolences to the families of the Georgian fighters who died in Ukraine, their loved ones, relatives - this is a great pain for us," he said.
According to him, the government has always ensured the transfer of the deceased in previous cases to Georgia.
"I honestly want to say, it is a big loss. Already 33 of our compatriots have died in this war in Ukraine, which, of course, is a tragedy for us. So, once again, my condolences to their families.
Also, I would like to clarify once again that according to the decision of our government, in agreement with the families, the transfer of the deceased in all previous cases took place with the direct involvement of the government. These costs are fully covered by the government, and also, according to our decision, since most of them were ex-military, policemen, and officers, they took part in wars on our territory, all of them were buried with dignity, with military honors," said the PM.
Prime Minister Gharibashvili also accused the opposition of immorality for "trying to get some dividends from the issue of soldiers killed in the war."
"I also want to say, we are looking at the most sensitive issue of the last few days, a person died in the war, and some hypocritical, I must call it, fake, sold politicians are trying to get some dividends. Is there anything more immoral?
I want to remind everyone, these people, these so-called 'the war party' and the party of sell-outs, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, have tried and are trying to arrange certain provocations. Unfortunately, they are organized even now - our fellow citizens are being taken to the war in Ukraine by the representatives of 'the war party'. Many of their provocations were prevented by our government, and we all remember well how their leader and their government behaved during the August war.
Prime Minister Gharibashvili's allegations were heavily criticized by the opposition. European Georgia leader Giga Bokeria called it 'Putinist propaganda' and said this is how the ruling party is maintaining its power".
"They are so caught up in Putinist propaganda, which they use to maintain their own power, that they did not have the instinct to express their condolences, moreover, it seems that the whole team was forbidden to take a public position of sympathy on this issue."
According to MP Giga Bokeria, the government used Irakli Gharibashvili's condolences to the families of recently killed soldiers for "their poisonous propaganda full of lies."
"Until public pressure and political statements of famous and influential people called for this, they did not consider it necessary to express their condolences. Then, apparently, they thought that they would be hurt a lot in terms of PR, but they used this condolence for their poisonous propaganda full of lies as if it was Georgia's fault that Russia attacked us.
They used this condolence for this traitorous idea as if their position will save us now, and not the strengthening of the country, which is what the government should be doing today," Bokeria said.
