Georgian Foreign Minister confident in continued relations with EU

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Wednesday expressed confidence that the country would maintain normal relations with the European Union, though she acknowledged that it might take some time to see a clear willingness from the EU to recognize Georgia as a key partner.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Botchorishvili noted that the relations between Georgia and the European Union would eventually return to their previous level.

“It is necessary to reach the point where these relations have somewhat cooled down, where it was said that “I would not have a dialogue with representatives of the Georgian Government”. This was about a year ago, in June of last year, when this decision was made by the European Union. Subsequently, we see attempts to spin this and present it as if Georgia is behind this decision and the creator of this decision”, the FM said.

Botchorishvili further emphasised the importance of fair and trust-based relationships in any situation, including with the EU.

“We have an agreement with the European Union - the Association Agreement signed in 2014. This agreement reflects the will of the Georgian state and that of the EU, along with mutual commitments. Just as the EU expects us to fulfill our obligations, we also expect the EU to uphold its commitments. This agreement inherently requires dialogue and cooperation”, she continued.

“We anticipate that relations will normalise at some stage, allowing us to resume working with the EU rather than merely responding to rhetoric from its side. Achieving this requires engagement not only with EU institutions but also with member states”, the Minister added.

Botchorishvili further stressed a clear effort, particularly from the High Representative, to frame Georgia exclusively in a negative light, noting that this seems to be an extension of specific countries’ policies rather than a reflection of the EU’s overall stance, claiming “I would not call this the position of Europe or the EU as a whole - it is the pursuit of particular national interests within EU institutions”.

“I am confident that this will change and that we will restore normal relations with the EU. However, this will take some time, as we also need to see from the EU that it recognises Georgia as a significant and reliable partner. This partnership must continue on the basis of mutual respect. Georgia remains committed to this goal”, she noted.

Botchorishvili emphasised that Georgia fully understands the value of European integration and its relationship with the EU.

However, she concluded that Georgia did not want this crucial national issue to be used as a tool by certain forces to create instability in the country, stressing “the EU also needs to understand this”.