Opposition Slams De Facto S.Ossetia Leader’s Statements over Deceased Georgian
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, March 9
Georgian opposition parties criticize Anatoly Bibilov, the so called president of Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali region, for his statements over the deceased Georgian man, Archil Tatunashvili’s body transfer from breakaway Tskhinvali to Georgia.
The body of Archil Tatunashvili, a 35 year old Georgian soldier who died in unclear circumstances in the occupied region on February 23, has not been handed over to Georgia for his burial yet.
Bibilov stated two days ago that Tskhinvali requires more time to appropriately study the issue, adding the case “has been politicized much” by the government of Georgia.
Georgian opposition believes that de facto Tskhinvali’s actions are the result of the “weak” policy of the Georgian government.
The opposition United National Movement (UNM) says the current developments are directly linked to the ruling Georgian Dream’s (GD) “mild” position towards Russia.
“We see that during these years of GD governance, they are carrying out the policy of concession towards Russia, instead of increasing pressure on the occupant state,” the UNM member Salome Samadashvili stressed.
European Georgia, parliamentary minority party, believes that Bibilov’s statements express the position of Russia.
“Bibilov is not an independent person; he is pursuing a policy of the Russian occupation regime. The whole policy of Russia is cynicism and insolence which we have seen many times,” Sergo Ratiani, member of the European Georgia stressed.
Meanwhile, the third parliamentary opposition party, the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia (APG), who are often considered as pro-Russian party, claims their representative went to occupied Akhalgori to discuss the issue of Tatunashvili’s body with the occupant forces.
The APG member Konstantine Morgoshia confirmed to the media that he held the meetings in the occupied region, however, he refused to specify whom he met there.
Bibilov's statement was also criticized by the majority who say that the government does its best to transfer Tatunashvili's body to homeland.
“We expect that the handover of Tatunashvili’s body will take place in the nearest future,” GD faction Head, Mamuka Mdinaradze told the reporters.
