Georgia must maintain neutral position amid regional tensions, Parliament Deputy Speaker

The first Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Gia Volski, has warned that Georgia faced constant threats in a region where global interests were increasingly intertwined.

“Georgia is under a continuous risk of being drawn into the aggressive phase of occupation. In this complex environment, there are internal factions working to push the country into one conflict or another,” Volski said.

He cited recent regional developments, including the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and consultations between Iran and Turkey on establishing buffer zones, highlighting the importance of Georgia’s strategic location. 

“Turkey seeks to prevent refugee flows into its territory. Other countries also have their interests. Amid all this, Georgia must serve as a platform for dialogue between conflicting parties,” he added.

Volski stressed the importance of preserving a neutral “middle corridor” in Georgia, protected from the influence of external powers regardless of their regional relations. 

“This neutral position should be treated like Switzerland during World War II, providing a secure platform for negotiations. Unfortunately, there are too many internal actors working against this objective,” he said.

The deputy speaker also referred to ongoing consultations in Georgia, including Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent visit, and criticized attempts by certain actors to manipulate public perception of Georgia’s foreign policy.