Georgian Foreign Ministry expresses dissatisfaction to Norwegian ambassador about human rights award for Saakashvili

TBILISI. March 28 (Interfax) – Norwegian Ambassador to Georgia Helene Sand Andresen was invited to the Georgian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday in connection with the award given to former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili by the Norwegian Conservative Party for promoting human rights, the ministry said in a statement.

Georgia’s negative attitude to this action has been conveyed to the ambassador, it said.

The ministry believes that the award bestowed on Saakashvili was incompatible with his status as an incarcerated individual, convicted of abuse of office and the violation of human rights.

“This decision of the Conservative Party of Norway does not help to depolarize Georgian society, and is insulting to citizens and their families that fell victim to the criminal actions committed during Saakashvili’s presidency,” the ministry said.

According to the ministry’s statement, the ambassador informed the ministry that the award given to Saakashvili did not represent the official stance of the Norwegian government.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told reporters on Monday that giving Saakashvili an award was comparable to bestowing one on Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik.

Georgian television showed footage of Saakashvili’s award being presented to his mother and son at a congress of the Conservative Party of Norway.