French MEP Thierry Mariani questions why France is focused on Georgia amid domestic challenges

French member of the European Parliament Thierry Mariani on Tuesday criticised the French National Assembly’s decision to adopt a resolution against Georgia, calling it interference in the country’s internal affairs.

In his remarks with Imedi TV, Mariani questioned why French lawmakers were focusing on Georgia amid what he described as serious domestic and international challenges facing France.

“Do you know what the situation is in France? People do not have money to pay taxes, the international situation is alarming, and we are even facing a new pandemic-like situation that threatens the entire population. And at such a time, what is the National Assembly thinking about? Voting on a resolution against Georgia? All of this is very strange. It reminds me of the European Union”, Mariani said.

The MEP stated that he was surprised the French National Assembly supported the resolution and emphasised that his political party refused to back the document.

“I am very proud that the party which refused to support this resolution is my party, Marine Le Pen’s party. We refused to vote for this resolution because, in reality, it resembles the European Union’s approach, as they want to change the government”, Mariani noted

According to him, neither the European Union nor the French National Assembly should “vote instead of the Georgian people”.

“We must respect the choice of the Georgian people. You have a majority, and both the European Union and France should cooperate with that majority”, he added.

Mariani also described the resolution as direct interference in Georgia’s domestic affairs.

“I am astonished that a majority in the French legislature voted against the democratically elected government of another country. Clearly, this is interference in internal affairs”, he said.

Drawing a comparison, Mariani argued that French society would also consider it interference if Georgia adopted a resolution calling for the removal of French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Imagine if the Georgian government supported a resolution saying that the French should remove Macron. Of course, this would be considered interference, and every French citizen would be shocked by such a resolution”, he said.

The French Parliament recently adopted a resolution concerning Georgia. The document condemns what it describes as an “authoritarian shift” in the country, criticises several laws adopted by the Georgian government, and calls for sanctions. During parliamentary discussions, the rapporteur also spoke about the imprisonment of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and opposition politician Elene Khoshtaria. The former president Salome Zourabichvili attended the session.