**UN Tourism Chief in Dispute with Georgian Government**
The Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, has denied that the Georgian government’s decision to withdraw its support for his reelection bid was coordinated with him. In a statement released on May 14, Pololikashvili accused Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of ignoring his repeated attempts to contact him.
This comes after the Georgian Dream (GD) government stated that Pololikashvili had withdrawn his candidacy at his own request. However, Pololikashvili claims that he was trying to contact Kobakhidze for over three weeks without success. He expressed his frustration in a written comment, saying that it was “unfortunate” to see the kind of language used by the head of one of the UN agencies.
Pololikashvili’s comments were released on May 14, shortly after the GD administration confirmed its support for the United Arab Emirates’ candidate for Secretary-General instead of the Georgian candidate. In his statement, Pololikashvili denied that the GD’s claim was coordinated with him and called on Kobakhidze to explain what his candidacy “was traded for.”
**A Tense Exchange**
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Prime Minister of Georgia, responded to Pololikashvili’s remarks during an appearance on a pro-government TV talk show. He dismissed Pololikashvili’s reference to the “deep state” as irrelevant and claimed that support for his candidacy would be seen as “not particularly democratic.” Kobakhidze also mentioned diplomatic pushback from partner countries, citing concerns about repeated nominations.
This exchange reflects a tense relationship between Pololikashvili and the Georgian government. As the Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization, Pololikashvili has been at the forefront of promoting tourism in Georgia. However, his re-election bid has become a point of contention between him and the GD administration.
**Background on the Dispute**
Pololikashvili was first elected as Secretary-General in 2018 and re-elected in January 2021 for a second term covering 2022-2025. He won 76% of the secret ballot during the 113th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, defeating Bahrain’s candidate.
The dispute between Pololikashvili and the Georgian government raises questions about the country’s diplomatic relations with other nations. As a small nation, Georgia relies heavily on international cooperation to advance its interests. The GD administration’s decision to withdraw support for Pololikashvili’s candidacy may have far-reaching implications for Georgia’s relationships with key partner countries.
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