TBILISI. Jan 16 (Interfax) - Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili said he does not agree that Russia may repeat the "Ukrainian scenario" on Georgia.
"I have said many times and I will say again that Russia is unlikely to repeat the 'Ukrainian scenario' on us before in the period before an association agreement is signed with the European Union," Garibashvili told a press conference on Thursday.
"Georgia is not as economically dependent on Russia as Ukraine, and therefore the risks in this area are minimal," he said.
Garibashvili said that "provocations" by Russia are possible before Georgia signs an agreement with the EU, "like it happened last year, when barbed wire was placed on the occupation line in the Tskhinvali region."
"Other provocations are also possible. However, we don't expect anything special. What can be more than we have now? Twenty percent of our territory is occupied," Garibashvili said.