Signs of War Crimes in Ukraine, Georgian Parliament Speaker says
By Khatia Bzhalava
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced on Monday that Georgia would not be the country that Russia can use to bypass international sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine. Papuashvili said that the Georgian financial sector is part of the international sector, therefore, is automatically part of the restrictions that exist in this sector.
Papuashvili and a Georgian Parliamentary delegation visited Ukraine on Saturday to demonstrate Georgia’s support for Ukraine. Parliament Speaker deemed the Ukraine visit ‘warm, and friendly,’ adding that this visit ‘helped the sides to clarify many issues’. He also noted that the previous misunderstandings between Georgian and Ukrainian politicians had been resolved.
Papuashvili stressed that in a crisis situation, the information space is particularly vulnerable to disinformation, adding that Georgia, which went through three wars that involved Russia, is particularly sensitive to the claims about side talks with Russia. In this regard, the speaker stressed the importance of proactive communication, “so that the Ukrainian society has full information on how Georgia stands by it”.
As Papuashvili announced yesterday, the Georgian parliamentary delegation observed “signs of war crimes” during their visit to Ukraine. According to him, the damage to civilian buildings and the human casualties among civilians requires a legal assessment, stressing that the International Criminal Court Is “the very instance” where all the evidence of war crimes committed by the Russian military in Ukraine must be documented.
“No words can describe the suffering and misery in Bucha and Irpen, an unspeakable and shocking tragedy in the heart of Europe in the 21st century,” Papuashvili tweeted.
The Speaker said the Georgian and Ukrainian politicians also discussed the Associated Trio format (Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova). According to him, the Verkhovna Rada Chair, Ruslan Stefanchuk, emphasized the need to maintain this very format, stressing that “the EU should not be focused only on Ukraine but on the trio and the region as well.”
“The first stage now is the issue of EU candidacy, then comes the next and more long-term stage of EU membership,” Papuashvili noted.
