(28 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi, Georgia – 28 October 2024
1. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili listening to question during AP interview
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Salome Zourabichvili, Georgian President:
"I’m accusing the ruling party of having used Russian forms, Russian methods, and probably some type of Russian planning for this really special operation."
3. Zourabichvili speaking
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Salome Zourabichvili, Georgian President:
"Nobody was expecting what happened, which was very well-organized, very sophisticated type of fraud that included all kinds of forms, irregularities, intimidation, pressures on the people that are dependent on public service, jobs or being on welfare."
5. Zourabichvili speaking
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, Associated Press:
"So to be clear though, you’re not accusing the Russian state of actually carrying…"
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Salome Zourabichvili, Georgian President:
"No, I’m accusing Russian methodology, probably Russian FSB help that was given to the authorities. We’ve seen that Russian propaganda was directly used."
8. Burrows listening
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Salome Zourabichvili, Georgian President:
"We need to have the firm support of our European partners, of our American partners to the part of Georgia that is European, that is the Georgian population. The Georgian government is not European, is not pro-European. It is today working hand in hand with Russia."
10. Zourabichvili speaking
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, Associated Press:
"Are you concerned, though, that the only leverage that you really maybe have and the Georgian dream at the moment and to show your European partners is the fact that you’ve got protests? "
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Salome Zourabichvili, Georgian President:
"That’s the way to show where the population stands. It’s not necessarily a leverage because they are and they will be very peaceful because the population here knows what is our geopolitical environment. So that’s why it’s always very measured and very conscious about maintaining stability. But it’s a way that the population can show they have no other way to express that their votes have been stolen, that their future has been stolen."
13. Burrows asking question
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, Associated Press:
"So Viktor Orban is on his way here. Are you concerned about him undermining EU unity on Georgia and how do you view his visit?"
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Salome Zourabichvili, Georgian President:
"I think if he undermines EU unity, it’s not only through Georgia. So that’s the European issue, not ours. And I think that it is not going to affect what is the deep sense in the Georgian population. Seeing Orban coming and visiting the prime minister here is just a political play, but will not change the attitude of the of the population."
16. Zourabichvili and Burrows shaking hands after interview
STORYLINE:
Georgia’s president on Monday urged the West to support opposition protests against the official results of a weekend parliamentary election in which the governing party was declared victorious amid voting irregularities and allegations of Russian meddling.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who refused to recognise the official results, told The Associated Press in an interview that the South Caucasus nation has fallen victim to Russian pressure aimed at derailing its plans to join the European Union.
She said Georgia’s government has been “working hand-in-hand with Russia" and probably had help from the Russian security services.
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