The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, did not attend the annual gathering of heads of diplomatic missions of Georgia abroad, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on December 26, 2023. The reason for her absence was a protocol violation that did not provide her with the place intended for her, according to the administration of the president.
A Disrespectful Gesture
The administration of the president issued a statement explaining why the president did not participate in the Ambassadors’ Conference 2023, which was opened by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili. The statement said that the protocol did not provide the president with the place intended for her according to the protocol, which is a protocol violation. The statement also expressed regret that such a disrespectful gesture was made towards the head of state, who represents the country in the international arena.
The administration of the president added that the president had planned to attend the conference and deliver a speech on the foreign policy priorities of Georgia, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing the country in the context of the global and regional developments. However, the president decided not to attend the conference after learning about the protocol violation.
A Sign of Political Tension
The president’s absence from the conference was seen by some observers as a sign of the political tension between the president and the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has a majority in the parliament. The president, who was elected in 2022 as an independent candidate with the support of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, has often clashed with the government and the parliament over various issues, such as the judicial reform, the constitutional amendments, and the foreign policy orientation of Georgia.
The president has also been critical of the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 10,000 lives in Georgia and caused severe economic and social problems. The president has called for more transparency, accountability, and coordination in the fight against the virus, as well as more support for the vulnerable groups and the health care workers.
The president has also been vocal about the need to strengthen Georgia’s relations with the European Union and NATO, and to counter the Russian aggression and occupation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The president has urged the government to implement the reforms required for the integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, and to seek more international support for the resolution of the conflicts.
A Missed Opportunity
The president’s absence from the conference was also seen by some experts as a missed opportunity for Georgia to present a united front and a coherent vision for its foreign policy goals and achievements. The conference, which was attended by more than 60 ambassadors and diplomats of Georgia, was aimed at reviewing the foreign policy performance of Georgia in 2023, and outlining the priorities and plans for 2024.
The conference also featured speeches by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, David Zalkaliani, the Minister of Defense of Georgia, Juansher Burchuladze, the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia, Tea Akhvlediani, and the Director of the National Security Council of Georgia, Kakha Kemoklidze. The speakers highlighted the main achievements and challenges of Georgia’s foreign policy, such as the visa-free regime with the EU, the enhanced cooperation with NATO, the strategic partnership with the US, the active participation in the international peacekeeping missions, the promotion of the human rights and democracy, and the peaceful resolution of the conflicts.
The speakers also stressed the importance of the unity and solidarity of the Georgian society and the political forces in pursuing the foreign policy goals of Georgia, and called for more dialogue and cooperation among the different branches of the government and the political parties.
