Georgian PM vows not to allow replay of Ukraine's Euromaidan in his country

TBILISI. June 5 (Interfax) - Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has denounced the 2013-2014 events in Ukraine known as Euromaidan and vowed that the Georgian government will not allow them to play out in the country.

"When someone recalls Euromaidan in the context of Georgia, we should ask who has taken on responsibility for Euromaidan's consequences in Ukraine, and who will bear responsibility for the same processes in Georgia. We'll do our utmost not to allow a Euromaidan and Ukrainization in Georgia," Kobakhidze told journalists on Wednesday when commenting on a hearing which took place at the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, where some speakers draw parallels between the situation in Georgia and Ukraine's Euromaidan.

Former Georgian Ambassador to the EU Natalya Sabanadze and Open Society Georgia head Vano Chkhikvadze, who were invited to the Congress to speak as experts, said Georgia has changed its political course from integration with Europe to closer ties with Russia, and asked U.S. Congress members to impose sanctions on Georgian leaders and their family members.

Kobakhidze described their remarks at the U.S. Congress as a "banal betrayal of their country."

"We've been regularly reminded of Euromaidan, and I'd like also to remind everyone of what Euromaidan has done to Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities were appointed from the outside then, without bearing any responsibility for their consequent actions," Kobakhidze said.

Before Euromaidan, Ukraine enjoyed territorial integrity, and its economy nearly reached $200 billion, while now Ukraine "has nearly been annihilated, and its economy is in a disastrous condition," he said.