Georgia’s ruling party official: next move on dialogue with Georgia up to Brussels

Levan Machavariani, the First Deputy Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream parliamentary faction, said on Tuesday that the ruling party was ready to put past disagreements with the European Union behind it and start relations anew, stressing that emotions had no place in politics.

Machavariani was responding to remarks by Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who said that an in-depth discussion on Georgia would take place in January.

He said the EU was aware of Georgia’s readiness to engage in substantive discussions and that the next move rested with Brussels.

Speaking to Imedi TV, Machavariani said the importance of the Middle Corridor had increased significantly, with Georgia holding a key position along the route.

He added that some EU member states and their foreign ministers were openly calling for renewed dialogue and genuine friendship with Georgia.

“The ruling elite in Brussels remains resentful because they failed to persuade us to allow Georgia to be used as a proxy country”, Machavariani said.

He also referred to Kallas’s remarks, claiming that despite substantial pressure and what he described as numerous externally funded attempts at revolution, efforts to oust the Georgian Dream Government had failed.

“Kaja Kallas, who represents the foreign relations portfolio, openly acknowledges that despite this enormous pressure and so many funded attempts at revolution, they have been unable to change the Georgian Dream”, he said.

Machavariani added that neither attempts at revolution nor elections had succeeded in changing the government, arguing that the Georgian people were the primary guarantors of its continued hold on power.

“As we have stated many times, we are ready to put everything aside. There is no place for emotions in politics. Let us put this injustice behind us and start our relationship on a clean slate”, he continued.

According to Machavariani, the European Union was aware of Georgia’s position and its willingness to engage in substantive discussions.

“The ball is in their court. Sooner or later, they will have to start talking about the Georgian Dream”, he concluded.