Agenda.ge
March 27, 2023

Vice PM accuses NGO of links with “radical and extremist” opposition after it cancels university cooperation citing Gov’t “attacks”

Georgian Vice Prime Minister Thea Tsulukiani on Monday accused the Franklin Club, a domestic non-governmental organisation promoting “classical liberal and libertarian values”, of affiliation with “radical and extremist” political parties in the country, after the group announced cancellation of its educational cooperation with University of Georgia citing “attacks” by Government members.

In comments following a Cabinet meeting, Tsulukiani said she was “sceptical” about the Club’s educational purposes and pointed to “close links” between some in its management with the United National Movement opposition party.

I do not think the ideological work on youth in the Club could be related to even a single value of [Benjamin] Franklin”, Tsulukiani said in reference to the American statesman the organisation is named after.

The Vice PM, who also serves as the Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs, claimed UNM and its affiliates could use the youth involved in the Club for their attempts to “spark unrest in the country” during next year’s Parliamentary elections with the goal of overthrowing the Government.

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The party Chair highlighted the NGO’s funding by the Atlas Network – a United States-based organisation promoting “individual liberty, property rights, limited government, and free markets” across the world through its partner groups. The Club lists the Network as its “partner” on its official website.

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Rustavi 2
March 27, 2023

Sadist, human rights violator Saakashvili is rewarded, it is shameful when a criminal is rewarded as a dove of peace – Tea Tsulukiani

Tea Tsulukiani, the Minister of Culture/Vice-Prime Minister of Georgia, criticized the Norwegian Conservative Party for awarding Mikheil Saakashvili with the Sjur Lindebrække Prize for Democracy and Human Rights.

“He is a sadist who had violated human rights in a number of cases while in office. It was a problem both in Georgia and abroad that sometimes black is said to be white.

Saakashvili’s guilt had been confirmed by rulings of the European Court of Human Rights over the years.

“We do not even know what to say when a lie is taken as the truth and a criminal is rewarded as a dove of peace. This is simply shameful,” said Tea Tsulukiani.