Georgian FM: Georgia seeks maximum protection of interests in Kulevi refinery review

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili said on Friday that the government was actively cooperating with the European Union over the inclusion of the Kulevi oil refinery in the EU’s 21st sanctions package, with the aim of ensuring maximum protection of Georgia’s interests during the six-month review period.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Botchorishvili noted that Georgia has consistently acted as a responsible partner in implementing sanctions policy and that no case has been identified demonstrating the use of Georgian territory to circumvent sanctions.

“We are working intensively with the European Union. When we talk about the implementation of sanctions policy, Georgia is a bona fide partner in this regard. To date, not a single topic, issue or case has been found that would confirm that Georgia’s territory was used to circumvent sanctions. We have followed this policy since the day it was declared, and we will continue to do so. In this context, we are working with the relevant EU services. If necessary, all kinds of information will be provided to the EU side so that what we are talking about is documented, if such a need exists on the EU side”, Botchorishvili said.

The Minister noted that the decision to include a company on the sanctions list before an actual violation is established was unusual, noting that the final package underwent significant changes during negotiations among EU member states.

“It is somewhat strange to include a company on the sanctions list six months in advance, but such a decision was taken. The process of agreeing on this package was quite lengthy. The interests of a number of countries emerged so that the list of companies in various directions would not be the same as in the initial proposal”, the Minister noted.

She also stressed that Georgia’s absence from the decision-making table makes it more difficult to directly defend its interests, but the government will continue diplomatic engagement with Brussels.

“It is difficult to protect your country’s interests when Georgia is not sitting at the negotiating table, but we continue working with the European Commission so that the six-month period ends with maximum protection of our interests”, Botchorishvili concluded.