US Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Russia's invasion of Georgia

On December 2, Michael Carpenter, the US Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said, "2008 was an element of Putin’s imperialistic ambitions that resulted in the occupation of Georgia’s 20% of territories."

The Ambassador was reminded by a journalist from GPB's First Channel that Russia's aggression against Georgia preceded the war in Ukraine and that if the international community had reacted more effectively, the events of 2014 in Crimea and the present war might have been prevented.

"I believe there was an element of Putin's imperialistic ambitions that began in 2008, which unfortunately resulted in the occupation of 20% of Georgia's territories. I agree with you that the international community’s reaction at that time was insufficient and that the Kremlin learned the wrong lessons. And then, in 2014, Putin went to Crimea and the eastern part of Ukraine. There was a more robust reaction, but it was probably not sufficient. And now we see a full-scale, brutal war with possible war crimes against humanity on a level we haven’t seen since WWII. So, there is a trajectory that began with your country, Georgia. Georgia still suffers from occupation, and the communities suffer from boundary lines and borderization. "That conflict continues, although it is not as hot as the one in Ukraine," he said.

EU Ambassador to Georgia expects Tbilisi to make progress in fulfilling EC’s recommendations

According to Pawel Herczynski, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, the EU anticipates Georgia will progress toward implementing the EC's 12 recommendations. 

"When our leaders decided to grant Georgia a European perspective, they also put forward 12 points on where the European Union expects Georgia to make progress," he added.

"So far as I am aware, work on those 12 priorities is still ongoing. This is a Georgian parliament in command. In all our contacts, we asked the ruling party to ensure this process is inclusive and open to all political parties, civil society, and NGOs. We have also been asking all opposition parties to participate in this work constructively," Herczynski stated. "I know that progress has been made on some of these points. On others, work is still ongoing. There is time," the EU Ambassador to Georgia noted.

According to Herczynski, the European Commission will assess the progress next year and take the final decision on the next steps within a year. "So, there is time for all of the Georgian political elite to prove that they are in a position to work together and deliver," he stated, adding that this process is also important for strengthening Georgia's democracy and economy.

United National Movement faction chairwoman on Bidzina Ivanishvili's capital

On December 1, when responding to Mamuka Mdinaradze's claim that Saakashvili's family hired a lobbying firm that is running an international campaign, Khatia Dekanoidze, the United National Movement faction chairwoman, said that there are lobbying companies that protect Bidzina Ivanishvili's [former head of Georgia] capital, and the Georgian Ambassador to the US is personally involved in this. 

According to Dekanoidze, there is nothing unacceptable in this. "For the family, his life is the priority. We must not forget that Mikheil Saakashvili is a son and a father, and of course, this issue is beyond any political context for them," Dekanoidze stated. "There are lobbying companies that protect Bidzina Ivanishvili's capital, the Georgian Ambassador to the US is personally involved in this, so do not look for a scandal where it does not exist. See it in the fact that the third president of Georgia may die soon!" Dekanoidze said.

Moreover, Dekanoidze stated that the report of the Empathy Center is very serious, and everyone must believe the doctors. According to her, more details will be made public soon. "I call on everyone to analyze that Mikheil Saakashvili's health and life are now very important for the country. A motion has been filed with the court, and much more details will be made public. I talked to our partners this morning, since this report was made public, we provided a lot of information to them. We continue to communicate with them, and it is important that we all think together about how to save this person," Dekanoidze concluded.