Salomé Zourabichvili: “There is no temptation to return to the Russian fold in Georgia”

Georgian president expected to veto foreign influence law. This is what she announced in an interview with Euronews. However, Parliament could circumvent it.

“This law will pass. The veto will be overridden or it will be modified in a marginal and uninteresting way. So the important thing today is to go towards the elections“, estimates Salomé Zourabichvili, President of Georgia.

The peaceful demonstrations to denounce the “Russian law” which targets the opposition, NGOs and the media, have lasted for more than a month. The president denounces violence on the part of the police against the demonstrators.

“These are brutalities which are not the work of the police, who behave like any police, but of special forces who have a police registration but no identification. So investigations, investigations into the perpetrators of the brutality are not possible. So we are in a situation which could therefore escalate into violence at any time.“, fears Salomé Zourabichvili.

The parliamentary elections scheduled for October will be a test for Georgia.

“Through elections we will have a referendum on Europe. This is how we must see these next elections which cannot be normal elections, which will be the elections to stop this deviation. I use a weak word, it’s just a deviation. We will get back on the road, but it is important to do it through elections“, assures the Georgian president.

This law could threaten Georgia’s plan to join the European Union.

“The European Union must say very clearly that it will take Georgia’s choice into account, that is to say that it will not sanction the country. I distinguish between individual sanctions and the country, but that the country will not be sanctioned until its response is known at the ballot box.“, she considers.

For Salomé Zourabichvili, there is no “Russian temptation“in Georgia, only”Russian maneuvers” of certain leaders.

This country has known “at least three wars and decades of occupation by different Russias, if not a century“, she recalls. “20% of its territory is occupied, there are no days that pass without hostages taken or the Georgian language practically banned.” she believes. Human rights, including of non-Georgian populations, are violated every day, she denounces.

Also, the president affirms that “there can be no temptation to return to the Russian fold, especially when we look at what this Russia is today.”.

While European leaders visiting Georgia are regularly insulted, Salomé Zourabichvili calls for a change in the rhetoric of certain Georgian parties.