MP Samkharadze: NATO PA considered vast majority of Georgian delegation’s amendments, proposals, and formulations

“From October 11-13, the Georgian Parliament’s delegation, under my leadership, was in Slovenia, where NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly annual session took place. The delegation worked quite productively, and NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly incorporated the vast majority, 90%, of our amendments, proposals, and formulations into the resolutions and reports,” declared MP Nikoloz Samkharadze, member of the parliamentary majority, at a plenary session.

According to Samkharadze, these amendments concerned: Russia’s continuing occupation of Georgian territories, both Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, since the 1990s; the events of 2008 and subsequent occupation; unsubstantiated claims about Georgia circumventing sanctions, in response to which it was recorded that Georgia is committed to processes aimed at ensuring Georgian territory is not used to circumvent sanctions imposed on Russia; and opinions that presented Georgia-China relations in a negative light were also eliminated.

As Nikoloz Samkharadze noted, a decision was taken at NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly to create several partnership categories for non-Alliance countries, and Georgia was placed in the highest category.

“This is the ‘Comprehensive Security Partnership’ category. Along with the Georgian Parliament, this category also includes Ukraine’s Rada, as well as the parliaments of Switzerland, Austria, and Bosnia. This new categorisation will enable us to work more productively within the Parliamentary Assembly,” Nikoloz Samkharadze declared.

The MP also responded to the participation of Finland’s Foreign Minister, the acting OSCE Chair, in the demonstration held on Rustaveli Avenue.

“As head of Georgia’s delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, I strongly condemn the unfriendly act that the Foreign Minister of the OSCE Chair country committed yesterday. Beyond being an unfriendly act, this was also crude interference in the country’s internal affairs and disregard for the fact that just 10 days ago, there was an attempt at the violent overthrow of the government in Georgia.

Today, Madam Valtonen visited the occupation line, where she issued a statement reaffirming Finland’s firm and unwavering support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. As the saying goes: ‘I’ll believe the oath when I see the deed.’ It’s very good and we’re grateful that Finland supports Georgia’s territorial integrity, but supporting sovereignty means that you must not interfere in another country’s affairs, you must not take the position of any party in that country, and at the very least, you must distance yourself from violence if you’re not prepared to condemn it. Therefore, this was truly a very unfriendly gesture, and I promise you that I shall raise this issue at the next session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,” Nikoloz Samkharadze declared.