Salome Zurabishvili, the President of Georgia, spoke about the challenges in the field of security and drew attention to the “new attacks” of Russia's hybrid war in Georgia, during her annual address in the Parliament.
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“Russia failed to break Ukraine and could not undermine the unity and solidarity of Europe; rather, it strengthened it. Despite this failure (or perhaps because of it), Russia initiated new attacks of a hybrid war (a war without traditional warfare) across the entire territory of Georgia. These attacks comprise every form and weapon.
Russia's intent to convert the port of Ochamchire into a military base seeks to shift the confrontation to the Black Sea, within our territorial waters, jeopardizing the strategic prospect of the Black Sea region.
These attacks include declaring mobilization in occupied territories, taking steps toward annexation (such as those directed at the Ochamchire port, Bichvinta state residence, and Sokhumi Babushera airport), neglecting human rights, and erasing cultural and identity markers,” stated Zurabishvili.
According to the President, the relentless intimidation, abduction, and targeting of civilians persist along the occupation line.
“Nationwide anti-Western propaganda, along with pseudo-co-religionist narratives is being disseminated, the encouragement and financing of pro-Russian factions, escalating cyber-attacks on state institutions - indicative of what to expect in the wake of the upcoming election.
The hybrid warfare encompasses the massive influx of Russian immigrants, directly impacting the economy (sometimes positively, sometimes negatively) and heightening the nation's reliance on Russian investments and markets - a reliance on Russian capital.
The hybrid strategy is the basis of various provocations, such as the resumption of flights, unhindered entry of FSB agents and other high-ranking officials, unhindered movements of Russian cruise ships in Batumi, and the display of Stalin's icon in the Trinity Cathedral… These actions aim to instigate discord, and confrontation in society, and threaten us with destabilization,” the President continued.
As Zurabishvili said, Georgia's European orientation has also encountered a particular challenge and “initially unnoticeably, and later more pronouncedly, our centuries-old orientation shifted its emphasis: anti-European and anti-Western sentiments transitioned from marginal political circles to state rhetoric. In turn, positions toward Russia notably softened.”
As, the President said society avoided and overcame provocations of Russian immigration and propaganda, and retained stability and unshaken pro-Europeanness.
Today, February 6, Salome Zurabishvili addresses the Parliament with an annual report. This is her last report as president.
