Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Monday said comments by the Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who on Saturday said seeing the Chinese leader put on trial would be a “historic outcome”, were “damaging”, “ignored citizen’s interests” and “created embarrassment”.
The official’s comment came following a remark by Zurabishvili, who told France’s LCI channel the prospect of the leaders of Russia and China facing court would “clarify certain matters”.
Papuashvili alleged the Georgian constitution was a “just piece of paper” for Zurabishvili, in reference to the Constitutional Court’s decision that in October ruled the President had violated the law with her foreign visits in defiance of the Government.
Papuashvili also cited the “concern” of Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, as the “main outcome” of the President’s remark, adding the claims were “removed from the reality and fail to take into account the interests of Georgian citizens”.
The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, during a meeting with the Chinese ambassador, also expressed his strong disapproval of the statement made by the Georgian President about the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping.
Garibashvili characterized the statement as “categorically unacceptable and disturbing.” He emphasized that such rhetoric contradicts the Georgian government’s and people’s positive attitude towards China and goes against the friendly and strategic partnership between the two countries.
“Prime Minister stated that this is not the first instance when the president violates constitutional norms and conducts separate activities that do not align with the country’s government position, which puts Georgia’s international image in an embarrassing situation. The ruling team initiated the president’s impeachment due to her public and gross violations of constitutional norms.
The PM noted Georgia is a parliamentary republic where the president does not determine foreign policy, which falls under the exclusive authority of the government.
He expressed regret over the president’s statement and hoped it would not damage the positive historical dynamics of Georgia-China relations,” the Government Administration stated.
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