TBILISI, February 28. /TASS/. Opponents of the Georgian government seek to drag Georgia into a conflict with Russia over Ukraine and repeat the events of August 2008, the country’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at a government meeting on Monday.
"We are very familiar with what is happening in Ukraine. We experienced this much earlier, in 2008. It is very sad that our radical opposition is rejoicing over the war in Ukraine and is seeking out benefits and interests for itself from all these calamities. Their goal is to repeat the tragedy from which they themselves failed to protect our people and country," Garibashvili said.
Prime Minister Garibashvili noted that Georgia continues to support Ukraine at all levels, even by way of having sent 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid on Sunday. "Our government, within its capabilities, is doing everything to offer the greatest support to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, be it political, humanitarian, human, or otherwise," he stressed.
Garibashvili reiterated his reluctance to join the Western-led sanctions against Russia. As the premier noted, Georgia trades with Russia, and practically the entire population of the country participates in this process. "Thousands of our winemakers, exporters, farmers are all involved in this process. I’d like to ask this question: when it comes to imposing sanctions, what are you asking me to do? Do you want me to impose sanctions on my people? Who will suffer from this? Of course, our people, the population, the economy will lose revenue, a million of our citizens will suffer, who, for instance, will not be able to transfer money (from Russia - TASS)," he concluded.
On February 25, the Prime Minister of Georgia stated that the authorities, guided by national interests, are not going to participate in the Western-dominated economic and financial sanctions against Russia because of the situation around Ukraine. Upon making this decision, he set off a wave of criticism from the opposition, who demanded his resignation.
On February 24, in response to appeals from the Donbass republics’ leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to conduct a special military operation. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow's plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories. The Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.