Three MPs who recently left the ruling party Georgian Dream, Dimitri Khundadze, Sozar Subari and Mikheil Kavelashvili, have addressed the Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Ned Price.
The public letter, which Dimitri Khundadze posted on his Facebook page, says that not granting Georgia candidate status for the European Union was a gross political mistake of the West, which deepened polarization in the country and created a feeling of injustice.
The letter reads that Georgia will take back the occupied Abkhazia and Ossetia not by war, but by peaceful means, and “we have chosen NATO and the European Union as a guarantor of this, although so far without results.”
The letter also talks about Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream. The former members of the ruling team claim that the issue of Bidzina Ivanishvili will become a tool for measuring Western values in Georgia and “insulting his dignity will be responded to by us and society.”
If the new geopolitics changes not only the territorial borders, but also the political ideology of the world, then we should know where Georgia’s place is, and what cost we will have to pay for this new situation
“Today’s processes have made even clearer how much Georgia and the West need each other.
“Our relations and obligations are mutual. The new political contours indicate the greater political significance of the Caucasus in the future. Georgia is a leading country in the Caucasus.
“Given the ongoing processes, the question arises, are democratic values being re-evaluated in the world today?
“It is true that the new geopolitical situation creates a new political reality, but it should not affect the main values for which the Georgian people have shed their blood many times in the fight against the Russian occupier.
“If the new geopolitics changes not only the territorial borders, but also the political ideology of the world, then we should know where Georgia’s place is, and what cost we will have to pay for this new situation.
Not granting candidate status was a gross political mistake of the West, which deepened polarization in the country and created a feeling of injustice. This decision only serves Russia’s interests
“If we have to pay this price through war and thus sacrifice Georgia, then this reality is unacceptable to us. Not because we, Georgians, are afraid of war and do not know how to sacrifice our lives for the motherland, but because we do not see the perspective of this path.
“In addition, we will never start a war against our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers, we will return to each other peacefully. We need the help of international partners in this. We chose NATO and the European Union as a guarantee for this, but so far without results.
“Many years of expectations have, to some extent, caused disappointment towards Western policies among the Georgian people, which is dangerous not only for our country, but also for the West. The unjust decision made by the European Council regarding the status of a candidate for EU membership angered the Georgian people.
“It is clear to everyone that Western politics is a combination of European and American policies, and people accepted this unfair decision as their joint agreement. Moreover, we received the main political message from Europe – that Ukraine got the status only because it was involved in the war. With this, everything is clear to us, why Georgia was oppressed!
“Not granting the status was a gross political mistake of the West, which deepened polarization in the country and created a feeling of injustice. The fact is, this decision only serves Russia’s interests.
“Why do we keep talking about war? We are not talking about this, our political opponents have been talking about it since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Moreover, they started war propaganda in the country, and unfortunately, the Ambassador of your state in Georgia did not distance herself from this rhetoric. Similar rhetoric was echoed by the acting Ambassador of Ukraine yesterday.
“We do not remember a single statement of Ms. Degnan directed against the war propagandists in Georgia, even though there have been many facts of this. We will not go into detail because we believe that you have all the information.
“It is probably unacceptable for the United States of America for people to perceive their Embassy in Georgia as a political party. However, unfortunately, it is so. Is there any justification for such politicization of the diplomatic corps? As far as we know, the American Embassy should function for all citizens of Georgia, not only for the radical opposition and their personal non-governmental organizations. This is “selective diplomacy”, not to mention “selective politics” disguised as diplomacy.
“Disinformation and personal attack on the Ambassador?! We would have believed the truth of these words if a statement had been made by the US Department of State after the aggressive, dirty and insulting words made by Nika Gvaramia, the founder of Mtavari TV company, against your Ambassador, Kelly Degnan. He insulted and attacked her, not us.
“However, neither here nor from America did we hear such a statement about the attack, nor about our questions. Ms. Degnan called facts presented by us a lie, and stated that she did not even read the letter to the end.
Our main goal is to save democratic values in the country and Georgia to overcome the expected threats that actually exist today inside the country and in the international arena
“What is unacceptable to you is unacceptable to us! What is anti-democratic for the American people is anti-democratic for the Georgian people as well!” reads the letter.
“We don’t want to stand near NATO’s firmly closed doors all the time and we don’t want to receive constant promises from the European Council regarding membership. Georgia and Georgian people deserve real and tangible results relating to its western aspirations,” the MPs add in their letter.
They said the Georgian people have already made a historic choice on the path of democratic development of an independent state and will never change this choice.
“Our main goal is to save democratic values in the country and Georgia to overcome the expected threats that actually exist today inside the country and in the international arena,” reads the letter.
“Ambassador Degnan has our full support. Disinformation and personal attacks on Ambassador Degnan or her team are not consistent with how partners communicate with one another,” US State Department spokesperson stated at the briefing.
Price noted that European Council extended Georgia a European prospective status, along with a roadmap of reforms that must be implemented for Georgia to achieve full candidate status.
Related Story: Ned Price: Disinformation, Personal Attacks on Amb. Degnan Not Consistent with How Part
