Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the “Strong Georgia” coalition, has responded to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent statement regarding Moscow’s willingness to assist Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia in the “normalization process” if the “countries” themselves are interested. Khazaradze dismissed the statement as a typical provocation aimed at influencing public sentiment, especially with elections approaching.
Khazaradze criticized the current Georgian Dream government, stating that it essentially acts as the Russian government in Georgia. He argued that Lavrov’s statement is meant to create false hope among certain segments of the population, implying that Russia might help resolve long-standing conflicts.
Khazaradze reaffirmed that Russia remains an occupier of Georgian territories, responsible not only for land seizures but also for loss of lives. He compared Russia’s aggression in Georgia to its ongoing war in Ukraine, emphasizing that this continued aggression shows the Kremlin‘s role as an instigator of conflict.
“This is just a typical provocation, which always seems to surface during election time. This statement is meant to create a false sense of optimism, as if Russia will return or resolve something. We must be clear, Russia is the occupier. They took away not only our territories, but also the lives of our people. Today, Russia is waging a bloody war against Ukraine. Until people wake up and see through this false propaganda, we will not make any progress. My assessment remains the same as it has been for the past 33 years since Russia captured 20% of Georgia. We have always said that Russia is the aggressor and the instigator of war,” Khazaradze stated.
He also reiterated that the main goal for Georgia is to remove the Georgian Dream party from power, as their policies and actions align with Russian interests. Khazaradze expressed confidence that the upcoming elections on October 26th present an opportunity for the Georgian people to put an end to what he calls Russian control over the government.
In his closing remarks, Khazaradze emphasized that the international community, including the United States, has distanced itself from the Georgian Dream party, further demonstrating the need for political change in Georgia.
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