Georgia PM Kobakhidze Criticizes European Institutions Over Election Remarks

Tbilisi (Eurotoday) – Irakli Kobakhidze criticized the EU’s response to protests, accusing European officials of unfairness and undermining Georgia’s European integration.

In the wake of recent protests, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed it was

“alarming that the European Union has not denounced the gross, systemic violence of violent groups”

of protesters amid the protests being held against the government’s decision to stop the country’s EU accession discussion until 2028.

What accusations did Georgia’s PM make against European institutions?

“When some of the European politicians and officials openly express that Georgia has value to them only in case of the return of the collective National Movement [opposition party members] to power, this is incomprehensible and insulting to the Georgian society”,

Kobakhidze stated.

Irakli Kobakhidze, at a press briefing, alleged that “nowadays deceit and unfairness are deeply entrenched within European institutions,” naming it “extremely alarming,” and noted their non-recognition of the outcomes of Georgia’s recent parliamentary elections “despite the positive assessment” by the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Kobakhidze also indicated that

“Any association with oppressors, murderers, torturers, business racketeers, snatchers of TV stations, and fight instigators damages the Georgian society’s trust in European bureaucracy, which deeply affects us.”

How does Georgia plan to pursue EU membership by 2030?

Concerning the halt to European Union accession talks the PM said:

“Georgia’s European integration is on our agenda.