“Irakli Garibashvili’s role was decisive in maintaining peace despite direct pressure from the Biden administration,” stated Shalva Papuashvili, Chairman of the Georgian Parliament.

According to Papuashvili, Garibashvili deserves gratitude for his service to the country.

“I remind everyone of the pressure Georgia endured, especially after the war in Ukraine began. The Biden administration was directly pushing us to escalate tensions with Russia. I’ve mentioned multiple times that the former U.S. Ambassador went office to office, including mine, trying to force Georgia into escalation with Russia, urging us to impose bilateral sanctions, close our airspace, and so on. This clearly served escalation purposes. This pressure was applied to all government officials, but of course, the Prime Minister is the highest authority whose words and decisions are decisive for the country. Therefore, Irakli Garibashvili’s firm and direct position was crucial.

Whether it was pressure coming through the American Ambassador or from other directions, it all aimed to push us into escalation. Remember how Ukraine attacked Georgia’s government, organizing direct protests in front of Parliament? Zelensky himself got involved, and recalled his ambassador, all to create turmoil in Georgia and force our government into escalation with Russia. We all know very well how this would have ended – we see it in Ukraine’s example – not only in terms of human lives and economic consequences but also how those who would have dragged us into escalation would have emerged from this chaos and turmoil.

Therefore, despite direct pressure from the Biden administration, Irakli Garibashvili’s role was decisive in maintaining peace. I want to thank him for withstanding this pressure.

Additionally, his leadership was crucial in Georgia’s successful recovery from the COVID period. Let me remind you that in 2021, Giorgi Gakharia resigned at the prompt of the then-American Ambassador to destabilize the government. Irakli Garibashvili took on leadership at that moment, and precisely from that point, economic growth began in Georgia. The results of this economic growth can also be attributed to the leadership of the government at that time.

So, I want to thank him for his service to the country and wish him success with his family. I am confident he will continue to play an important role in Georgia’s development,” Papuashvili stated.