Georgian Legion, which is fighting in Ukraine, says it is not planning to return to Georgia

(3 Dec 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kyiv, Ukraine - 3 December 2024
1. Various of symbol showing Ukrainian and Georgian flag
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mamuka Mamulashvili, Commander of Georgian Legion in Ukraine:
“And for Georgian society, it became clear that the Georgian government is taking the country not democratic way at all. That's why we have protests in the streets, that's why Georgian society is standing outside, and that's why they're asking to re-elect the government. We are hoping, as militaries, we are hoping that the Georgian government will not shed the blood, they will not start shooting their own citizens, and they will do the right thing and just quit the politics.”
3. Cutaway of shoulder patch of Georgian Legion
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mamuka Mamulashvili, Commander of Georgian Legion in Ukraine:
“Georgian Legion is standing with Georgian people. We are a military formation, and we don't have a luxury and a right to do radical statements. We are just as citizens as all the other Georgians who are the same part of Georgian society. We would go to Georgia and protest with all the other protesters, but unfortunately, Georgian government will extradite us to Russia. So that's one of the reasons why we are in Ukraine. And the main reason is that Ukraine needs help, and we have no right to leave Ukraine now and just to, you know, give up everything and go to protest. Georgian society, Georgian people, Georgian youth are strong enough to resist what is going on now, to re-elect, and to do everything possible not to get our country occupied one more time.”
5. Wide of Mamulashvili standing next to symbol showing Ukrainian and Georgian flag,
6. Various of symbol showing Ukrainian and Georgian flag
STORYLINE:
The Georgian Legion, which is fighting the Russian army in Ukraine, has denied claims that it is planning to return to Georgia to take part in anti-government protests.

"We would go to Georgia and protest with all the other protesters, but unfortunately, Georgian government will extradite us to Russia," explained Mamuka Mamulashvili, Commander of Georgian Legion in Ukraine.

"And the main reason is that Ukraine needs help, and we have no right to leave Ukraine now and just to, you know, give up everything and go to protest," he added.

Thousands of demonstrators in the Georgian capital again converged on the parliament Tuesday, venting outrage against the governing party's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union.

The ruling Georgian Dream party retained control of parliament in the disputed Oct. 26 parliamentary election, but the opposition and the country’s pro-Western president have accused it of rigging the vote with Moscow’s help and boycotted parliament sessions.

The election, widely seen as a referendum on Georgia’s aspirations to join the EU, has sparked weeks of mass demonstrations which have been reenergized by Georgian Dream's decision on Thursday to put EU accession talks on hold has fueled more anger.

The government’s announcement of the EU accession talks’ suspension came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution criticizing October’s election in Georgia as neither free nor fair.

AP Video shot by Alex Babenko

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