Discord between Tbilisi and Kiev

By Victoria Panfilova, a columnist of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

 

Yuri Lutsenko, an advisor to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and an ex-interior minister, has recently caused a row during his visit to Tbilisi. Georgians say that Lutsenko’s dubious statement regarding justice and the political system in general could be put under consideration of the foreign ministers of both countries.

Lutsenko arrived to express support for his “ex-friend and ex-colleague Vano Merabishvili.” The Georgian ex-interior minister on trial over abuse of power. Before that, Merabishvili had been jailed for 8 years for financing machinations and abuse of power in a crackdown on an opposition protest. After spending some time in the court, Yuri Lutsenko was on his way out of the building when he made a remark to the judge, saying that “such” was more scared of Merabishvili than Merabishvili was scared of it.

The local community exploded with outrage after such an insult towards the court. Tbilisi has been irritated by the way Ukrainian authorities have been treating Georgia's former authorities for a long time. Ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili is welcome in Kiev, just as any other notable members of his United National Movement. His Movement had been supporting the opposition during the Euromaidan protests in Kiev. Moreover, their support had been expressed on behalf of all Georgia, although they had no longer been its officials at that moment.

Attempts by the Georgian authorities to calm a population enthralled by the Ukrainian processes failed. Calls on Kiev to differentiate the old government and the incumbent one and to consider the position of the United National Movement interference in Ukrainian home affairs were ignored. The government of Yanukovych declared Saakashvili persona non grata. However, the people who took power in the country have not forgotten about the support of Saakashvili. To Tbilisi’s disappointment, an office of the United National Movement opened in Kiev. It also serves as proof that the party is persecuted in Georgia. The office is focusing on plans to return to power in Georgia.

Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili drew the attention of the Ukrainian government to the developments and asked it to distance itself from Saakashvili to save interstate relations at their strategic level.

Lutsenko made an unacceptable statement towards the court in his attempt to support a member of the United National Movement in Tbilisi. “Georgian people need Vano Merabishvili free… His reforms were so successful that we needed them in Ukraine,” declared Lutsenko. He told Rustavi-2 TV that the Georgian government has nothing in common with Yanukovych and the old authorities of Ukraine. “To a certain extent, Bidzina Ivanishvili is a pro-Russian politician and we understand that Georgia is gradually becoming a satellite of Russia. I think that Ivanishvili is not an exact copy of gangster Yanukovych. He just robbed his country. Of course Georgia shows signs of corruption, there are fears of a return of criminal authorities, but thankfully we do not have the flagrant bribability and putrefaction of officials Ukraine had. This is why I think your country will go along a path without revolutionary predicaments,” noted Lutsenko. The president’s advisor believes that the Georgian authorities are trying to make the Kremlin happy, they broadcast Russian channels, for example. “I think it is a very dangerous symptom… The events in Ukraine reaffirmed that an AK or a machine gun are less dangerous than Russian television. It is a serious weapon that takes over territories, the minds of millions of people. It is not a game… Georgia needs to understand that the Kremlin has no friends, it has either thieves or slaves,” added Yuri Lutsenko.

The scandalous statements of the Ukrainian ex-minister in Tbilisi were taken as interference in Georgian domestic affairs. Political analyst Soso Tsintsadze noted, commenting on Yuri Lutsenko’s words, that the perplexity of Georgia would be conveyed to Kiev. “There is hardly any need for a demarche, but grievance should not be conceived either. The position of Georgia can be put across to the Ukrainian authorities via closed-door diplomatic channels. Lutsenko is a notable player among the Ukrainian authorities and expressed the position of the Ukrainian authorities towards Georgia,” supposes Tsintsadze.

Giya Patsuria, the head of the Protection of the Georgian Constitution, considers Yuri Lutsenko’s behaviour unacceptable and supposes that Tbilisi would not cause any escalations in relations with Kiev. “Georgia sits in the same boat with Ukraine, in terms of EU Association Agreements. Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili has asked the Ukrainian authorities several times to distance Mikheil Saakashvili from the government, at least because the position of the Georgian ex-president coincides with the position of Ukraine’s Right Sector on many issues and ruins the state's image,” Giya Patsuria told Vestnik Kavkaza. In his opinion, Georgia’s demands for Kiev to limit its relations with it is not very wise. The expert reminded that Poroshenko and Saakashvili were old friends who had studied together.

Patsuria did not rule out that Saakashvili himself could be behind Yuri Lutsenko’s sudden visit to Tbilisi and the scandalous statements. “He is in hysterics again, in a state where his actions lack rationality. The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has approached Saakashvili at a very small distance, insane unjustified budget expenditures for parties and banquets he was so “famous” for in the country and beyond are being investigated. Even a house worker was summoned for questioning,” said Patsuria. He expressed doubts that the case would ever be completed, “American supporters are exceptionally interested in it, and they are trying to keep the United National Movement as an effective political force, they need the party badly.”

Yuri Lutsenko: “Georgia is gradually becoming a satellite of Russia”By Victoria Panfilova, a columnist of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, exclusively for Vestnik KavkazaYuri Lutsenko, an advisor to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and an ex-interior minister, has recently caused a row during his visit to Tbilisi. Georgians say that Lutsenko’s dubious statement regarding justice and the political system in general could be put under consideration of the foreign ministers of both countries.Lutsenko arrived to express support for his “ex-friend and ex-colleague Vano Merabishvili.” The Georgian ex-interior minister on trial over abuse of power. Before that, Merabishvili had been jailed for 8 years for financing machinations and abuse of power in a crackdown on an opposition protest. After spending some time in the court, Yuri Lutsenko was on his way out of the building when he made a remark to the judge, saying that “such” was more scared of Merabishvili than Merabishvili was scared of it.The local community exploded with outrage after such an insult towards the court. Tbilisi has been irritated by the way Ukrainian authorities have been treating Georgia's former authorities for a long time. Ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili is welcome in Kiev, just as any other notable members of his United National Movement. His Movement had been supporting the opposition during the Euromaidan protests in Kiev. Moreover, their support had been expressed on behalf of all Georgia, although they had no longer been its officials at that moment.Attempts by the Georgian authorities to calm a population enthralled by the Ukrainian processes failed. Calls on Kiev to differentiate the old government and the incumbent one and to consider the position of the United National Movement interference in Ukrainian home affairs were ignored. The government of Yanukovych declared Saakashvili persona non grata. However, the people who took power in the country have not forgotten about the support of Saakashvili. To Tbilisi’s disappointment, an office of the United National Movement opened in Kiev. It also serves as proof that the party is persecuted in Georgia. The office is focusing on plans to return to power in Georgia.Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili drew the attention of the Ukrainian government to the developments and asked it to distance itself from Saakashvili to save interstate relations at their strategic level.Lutsenko made an unacceptable statement towards the court in his attempt to support a member of the United National Movement in Tbilisi. “Georgian people need Vano Merabishvili free… His reforms were so successful that we needed them in Ukraine,” declared Lutsenko. He told Rustavi-2 TV that the Georgian government has nothing in common with Yanukovych and the old authorities of Ukraine. “To a certain extent, Bidzina Ivanishvili is a pro-Russian politician and we understand that Georgia is gradually becoming a satellite of Russia. I think that Ivanishvili is not an exact copy of gangster Yanukovych. He just robbed his country. Of course Georgia shows signs of corruption, there are fears of a return of criminal authorities, but thankfully we do not have the flagrant bribability and putrefaction of officials Ukraine had. This is why I think your country will go along a path without revolutionary predicaments,” noted Lutsenko. The president’s advisor believes that the Georgian authorities are trying to make the Kremlin happy, they broadcast Russian channels, for example. “I think it is a very dangerous symptom… The events in Ukraine reaffirmed that an AK or a machine gun are less dangerous than Russian television. It is a serious weapon that takes over territories, the minds of millions of people. It is not a game… Georgia needs to understand that the Kremlin has no friends, it has either thieves or slaves,” added Yuri Lutsenko.The scandalous statements of the Ukrainian ex-minister in Tbilisi were taken as interference in Georgian domestic affairs. Political analyst Soso Tsintsadze noted, commenting on Yuri Lutsenko’s words, that the perplexity of Georgia would be conveyed to Kiev. “There is hardly any need for a demarche, but grievance should not be conceived either. The position of Georgia can be put across to the Ukrainian authorities via closed-door diplomatic channels. Lutsenko is a notable player among the Ukrainian authorities and expressed the position of the Ukrainian authorities towards Georgia,” supposes Tsintsadze.Giya Patsuria, the head of the Protection of the Georgian Constitution, considers Yuri Lutsenko’s behaviour unacceptable and supposes that Tbilisi would not cause any escalations in relations with Kiev. “Georgia sits in the same boat with Ukraine, in terms of EU Association Agreements. Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili has asked the Ukrainian authorities several times to distance Mikheil Saakashvili from the government, at least because the position of the Georgian ex-president coincides with the position of Ukraine’s Right Sector on many issues and ruins the state's image,” Giya Patsuria told Vestnik Kavkaza. In his opinion, Georgia’s demands for Kiev to limit its relations with it is not very wise. The expert reminded that Poroshenko and Saakashvili were old friends who had studied together.Patsuria did not rule out that Saakashvili himself could be behind Yuri Lutsenko’s sudden visit to Tbilisi and the scandalous statements. “He is in hysterics again, in a state where his actions lack rationality. The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has approached Saakashvili at a very small distance, insane unjustified budget expenditures for parties and banquets he was so “famous” for in the country and beyond are being investigated. Even a house worker was summoned for questioning,” said Patsuria. He expressed doubts that the case would ever be completed, “American supporters are exceptionally interested in it, and they are trying to keep the United National Movement as an effective political force, they need the party bad