Georgian Foreign Ministry: Georgia fully complies with EU sanctions regime, committed to preventing any attempts to use its territory to evade sanctions

The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday responded to the inclusion of the Kulevi Oil Terminal in the European Union's 21st sanctions package, stating that Georgia fully complies with the EU sanctions regime and is committed to preventing any attempts to use its territory to evade sanctions.

“Cooperation with the European Union in this area is based on the principles of transparency and openness. Within this framework, the relevant Georgian authorities continuously provide EU institutions with all necessary information and clarifications in a timely manner”, the Ministry said.

The statement notes that the effective work of Georgia's state institutions is demonstrated by the fact that, to date, no case of EU sanctions circumvention has been identified on Georgian territory.

According to the Ministry, during the preparation of the EU's 21st sanctions package, the Georgian side submitted comprehensive information and supporting documentation to the European Commission, unequivocally demonstrating that there are neither factual nor legal grounds for including the Kulevi Oil Terminal on the sanctions list.

The Ministry expressed hope that, during the six-month period established by the decision, the relevant services of the European Commission and the EU member states would be guided by the principle of fairness and reconsider the decision.

“Georgia remains ready to continue cooperating with the institutions of the European Union and to provide them with all necessary information”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted.