The News in Brief
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili's Statement on the 31st Anniversary of the Abkhazia War
On the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the war in Abkhazia, the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili issued a statement in which he stated that the "unjustified conflict has resulted in the loss of many lives among citizens on both sides" and that the challenges of "temporary occupation and displacement" confront the state and society, requiring a commitment to maintaining peace.
"31 years have passed since the commencement of one of the most tragic events in our history - the Abkhazia war.
This unwarranted confrontation has exacted a heavy toll in terms of lives lost among our citizens - encompassing both soldiers and civilians - on either side. In unison with our entire community, I once again pay tribute to the vivid memory of each one of them.
The territorial disputes and their aftermath - the temporary occupation of our ancestral lands, the uprooting of hundreds of thousands of individuals from their homeland, and our interactions with both Abkhazians and Ossetians - continue to represent the principal challenge confronting our state and society. This challenge can only be met through an unwavering commitment to maintaining peace, the re-establishment of trust, and the comprehensive and universal advancement of our nation.
Fostering a peaceful, robust, and flourishing nation jointly with Abkhazians and Ossetians constitutes the most promising outlook for all of us. Consequently, it represents a collective undertaking for us all.
I firmly believe that the judicious peace policy, centered on rebuilding trust, which we have been diligently pursuing since assuming power, will steadily bring us closer to achieving this objective," affirmed Gharibashvili.
German Chancellor Advocates Recognition of Georgia and Moldova as Safe Countries
In an extensive interview with the German public broadcaster, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz voiced his support for granting safe country status to Georgia and Moldova. Scholz's statement comes in response to a question posed by a journalist about Minister of Internal Affairs Nancy Faeser's proposal to tighten deportation rules, to which Scholz responded positively.
Scholz emphasized the importance of taking measures to establish safe country status for both Georgia and Moldova. This designation holds significant significance in the process of granting asylum to foreign nationals. Safe country status is attributed to nations whose citizens face low chances of receiving asylum. To qualify as a safe country, specific criteria must be met, including a sound legal framework, adherence to the rule of law, stable political conditions, and the provision of adequate protection against persecution and violence.
It is worth noting that in January 2019, the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament, passed a resolution to designate Georgia as a safe country. However, this decision did not receive approval from the Bundesrat, the upper house.
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili's Statement on the 31st Anniversary of the Abkhazia War
"31 years have passed since the commencement of one of the most tragic events in our history - the Abkhazia war.
This unwarranted confrontation has exacted a heavy toll in terms of lives lost among our citizens - encompassing both soldiers and civilians - on either side. In unison with our entire community, I once again pay tribute to the vivid memory of each one of them.
The territorial disputes and their aftermath - the temporary occupation of our ancestral lands, the uprooting of hundreds of thousands of individuals from their homeland, and our interactions with both Abkhazians and Ossetians - continue to represent the principal challenge confronting our state and society. This challenge can only be met through an unwavering commitment to maintaining peace, the re-establishment of trust, and the comprehensive and universal advancement of our nation.
Fostering a peaceful, robust, and flourishing nation jointly with Abkhazians and Ossetians constitutes the most promising outlook for all of us. Consequently, it represents a collective undertaking for us all.
I firmly believe that the judicious peace policy, centered on rebuilding trust, which we have been diligently pursuing since assuming power, will steadily bring us closer to achieving this objective," affirmed Gharibashvili.
German Chancellor Advocates Recognition of Georgia and Moldova as Safe Countries
Scholz emphasized the importance of taking measures to establish safe country status for both Georgia and Moldova. This designation holds significant significance in the process of granting asylum to foreign nationals. Safe country status is attributed to nations whose citizens face low chances of receiving asylum. To qualify as a safe country, specific criteria must be met, including a sound legal framework, adherence to the rule of law, stable political conditions, and the provision of adequate protection against persecution and violence.
It is worth noting that in January 2019, the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament, passed a resolution to designate Georgia as a safe country. However, this decision did not receive approval from the Bundesrat, the upper house.