UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili accused the Georgian government of lies

Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili said that the Georgian government's decision to withdraw his candidacy from the next elections of the organization's Secretary General was not agreed with him.

The next elections of the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization are to be held this year. Pololikashvili has already been elected to this post twice, and the Georgian government submitted his candidacy again - but unexpectedly withdrew it. At the same time, the press service said that Georgia, instead of its representative, will support a candidate from the UAE. No explanation was made to the media about the reasons for the unprecedented decision of the Georgian side.

Pololikashvili made an extremely harsh comment in an interview with the opposition Formula TV channel, noting that he learned about what was happening while on the plane.

“This is a decision of deep-rats - let Kobakhidze explain what he traded my candidacy for,” Pololikashvili said. “Deep” in this case is a reference to the term Deep State, a conspiracy theory of a ‘deep state’, whose machinations against Georgia have been constantly talked about lately by the ruling party of Georgia.

“The claim that it was my wish or that it was coordinated with me is a big lie. It will be good if Kobakhidze explains why he did this... For more than three weeks I have been writing to him, calling him - he is hiding. Let him come out and tell me directly what he exchanged my candidacy for! I do not represent neither Deep State nor the Global War Party - I am a Georgian, Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization,” Pololikashvili said.

Pololikashvili has been UNWTO secretary general for two consecutive terms, his term expiring on December 31 this year.

The new UNWTO Secretary General, who will hold the post from 2026 to 2029, will be officially elected at the 26th session in Riyadh, which will be held from November 7 to 11. In the last days of May, in Madrid, the UNWTO executive board will decide on the nomination of the candidate. Following Georgia's withdrawal of Pololikashvili's candidacy, five candidates now remain: from Mexico, Tunisia, Ghana, UAE and Greece.

Reprinted from https://www.newsgeorgia.ge/