Georgian FM blames EU for deadlock in Tbilisi-Brussels ties
Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili has stated that relations between Tbilisi and Brussels have reached a “dead end” due to the European Union’s actions. She accused the EU of creating the crisis itself by freezing contacts with Georgia over the law on foreign agents, News.Az reports, citing Georgian media.
“Brussels brought itself into a dead end with its own decisions when it declared that, because of a law passed by parliament in the interests of society and the country, it would halt relations with Georgia. Of course, it is not easy to reverse the situation when such a deadlock has been caused by your own decisions,” Bochorishvili said in an interview with pro-government Imedi TV.
According to her, the lack of direct contacts renders the European institutions’ statements about supporting Georgians’ European aspirations “false.”
“Perhaps it is time to stop such manipulative statements and find a way to return to normal, partnership-based relations, where we act in common interests,” Bochorishvili said. “We have not abandoned integration into the European Union; we have not abandoned our EU membership ambitions. And if Brussels genuinely wants to see Georgia in the EU, it must find a way to start a dialogue with the government elected by the people,” she added.
The entire interview focused on problems of European integration. The Georgian Foreign Ministry’s press service also released excerpts in which the minister places responsibility on the EU for the de facto pause in Georgia’s European integration and the potential risk of suspending the visa-free regime.
Relations between the ruling Georgian Dream party and Brussels worsened in spring 2024 following the adoption of the foreign agents law. The EU suspended consideration of Georgia’s membership application, froze part of its financial aid, and curtailed high-level contacts with the government. The European Parliament refused to recognize the results of the controversial 2024 parliamentary elections, in which the ruling party won. On the same day, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would remove EU membership negotiations from its agenda until 2028. The decision sparked mass protests across the country.
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