The first high-profile scandal in the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs broke out shortly after the appointment of a new minister, Andrii Sybiga. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the recall of the temporary charge d'affaires of Ukraine in Georgia Mykhailo Kharyshin. The reason, according to Sybiga, was his "complete misunderstanding of the realities of the diplomacy of a warring state." The minister did not provide any other details, which caused a lot of speculation in the mass media.
However, the Prime Minister of Georgia explained in an interview that the diplomat allegedly purchased household appliances, including washing machines, for the embassy. This quickly attracted public attention and raised questions about the situation surrounding the Ukrainian embassy in Tbilisi.
Although Mykhailo Kharyshyn initially refused to comment, at the request of "Glavkom" he explained his position. According to the diplomat, during the meeting with the new minister, he raised the issue of the technical condition of the embassy complex, which includes not only offices, but also living quarters for employees of the diplomatic mission and their families. Haryshyn emphasized that the problem was not only in household appliances, but in the general condition of the complex, in particular the air conditioning and fire safety systems.
According to the diplomat, he wanted to pay attention to the cost-effectiveness of employees' accommodation in this complex, which allows the state to save significant money on housing rent. However, his comments were misunderstood, leading to an emotional reaction from the new minister and his decision to recall the diplomat.
It should be noted that the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia has not had a permanent ambassador for more than two years, and Haryshyn held the position of temporary attorney for only two months.
