Pavliashvili called the "metastasis of hatred" the reason for the cooling of relations between Russia and Georgia

Relations between Russia and Georgia, which are currently cooling, were infected by a "metastasis of hatred" that was brought to Tbilisi to divide the two states. This was stated on July 9 by singer Soso Pavliashvili in an interview with Maria Chadina for the Louder than Words project.

Speaking about why, having been born in 1964 in the capital of Georgia, he had not been to his homeland for a long time, and how he was experiencing the cooling of relations between his native country and Russia, the artist formulated his position through a religious image.

"We just got this metastasis at the time — to hate everything related to Russia. But this was done a long time ago, when they were vented. And from this perspective, I always say: Russia is the bread, it is the body of Christ, Georgia is the wine, it is the blood of Christ. They can't live without each other," the performer said.

Pavliashvili said that after the aggravation of relations between Russia and Georgia, he even stopped including the popular song "The Georgian is Waiting for You" in the concert program, practically his "calling card". However, producer and composer Igor Krutoy convinced him to return it to the repertoire.

"They just asked me not to sing this song, because I'm Georgian. Then Igor called me and said: "Why don't you sing this song? This is your song, you really need it." We immediately shot the video and gave it away. We did what was expected of us by the third forces that were going to break us apart, and we succumbed to it. But now, thank God, there is an understanding that Russia has fed and is feeding half the world," the singer said.

The interviewer reminded the hero of the program that in one of his long–ago interviews, he suggested that he would sing on stage for "another seven or eight years." However, Pavliashvili is 62 years old, and he continues to tour.

"I've never considered myself a star. As long as there is this trust, I will perform. As soon as I can't do that, I'll step aside. Lightness must always be maintained. Even at concerts, I often say: that's it, stop sitting, this evening won't happen again — let's go to the end. And this is called trust. As long as there is this trust, I will perform," the performer summed up.

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Brussels demands that Tbilisi join anti-Russian sanctions

Mikhail Kalugin, Director of the Fourth CIS Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on May 12 that the Georgian authorities had officially recognized the pressure from Western countries, including the demand to open a "second front" against Russia. The diplomat also stressed that the Russian Federation, in turn, continues to make efforts to restore relations between Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia within the framework of international discussions on security in Transcaucasia. He also pointed out that the European Union had publicly demanded that Georgia stop transport links with Russia, including flights.